


Gasoline and the Innocent

by Lyoko_Native



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien-centric, Adrien/Lila Rivalry, Aged-Up Character(s), Agoraphobia, Alternate Universe - Dark, Body Horror, Depression, Destruction, F/F, F/M, Kidnapping, Murder, Mutant Powers, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape Recovery, Romance, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt, Telekinesis, Wedding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-05-26 06:39:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 69,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6227875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyoko_Native/pseuds/Lyoko_Native
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by Jessica Jones. Nine years after a traumatic event changed the nature of Marinette and Adrien's relationship, they're still struggling to adapt to it. Everything changes again when the cause of their suffering returns with a vengeance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Survivor's Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien is a walking shitpost and Marinette has one leg.

Legally his name was still Adrien Agreste. But outside of his old friends, few people called him that. It wasn't that he hated his name. He still went by Adrien, after all. But there were things he was hiding from the public eye, and changing his name was an easy way to do that. He began wearing glasses and started a career as an accountant. It was the last place anyone would expect to find a former model. This suited him just fine.

To be honest, he even felt as if he was good at it. He found the predictable and quiet life of an accountant to be calming. His young life had been anything but, so he was glad that he’d found something to put him at rest.

It was April 17th. Every April 17th, Adrien took the day off work and walked across the city. It was an almost ritualistic walk, one he had taken since before he started his life over. He’d done it when he shaved his head and reinvented himself. When his hair was dyed black. Even that year he’d grown a mustache. No matter what was wrong in his life, April 17th was always the same.

Paris was a city balanced between new and old. The architecture of the modern age juxtaposed next to the ancients. It was hard to see on this day, however, since the rain was pounding on his head. He cursed himself for not watching the weather before leaving his house. By the time the rain had started, it was too late to turn back.

He made his way to an apartment building. It wasn’t the fanciest building in the city, but it was anonymous. That appealed to the person he was visiting. Adrien opened the door and waved to the doorman. The doorman looked at his list and nodded. He noticed that the elevator was out of service. After a sigh that said ‘why did I expect any different’ he climbed the stairs. It was about seven flights to the floor he needed, but he was in pretty good shape. He walked down the hall and took a deep breath. He came to the last door on the left and knocked three times.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng answered the door. She smiled, but there was pain in her eyes. “Hi, Adrien.” She said weakly.

He smiled at her as he took off his coat. “Hi Marinette. I brought a movie for us to watch!” He said. He tried to be as cheerful as possible.

“Cool. I’ll go make some popcorn.” She said. When she left, Adrien excused himself to the bathroom. He pushed water out of his shaggy blond hair and fixed it. His green eyes were paler than they had been when he woke up. He left the bathroom to find Marinette standing next to the stove.

Marinette had gone to school for fashion design and worked as a tailor out of her apartment. In fact, everything she did was operated out of her apartment. She hadn’t left it for years. She even had her groceries delivered, which had shocked Adrien when he’d first heard.

There were signs that she was suffering, though. Her jet black hair was pulled back messily, and her bluebell eyes looked like she hadn’t slept in months. She was wearing a heavy grey sweater and a dusty rose dress underneath. She was barefoot, so her prosthetic leg was fully visible. He wore a black long sleeve tee shirt, denim skinny jeans and a sea green scarf. He hung up his coat and fell onto the couch. “What have you been up to, my lady?” He asked, propping up his feet on her coffee table.

She sighed, contented. “Do you remember Rose and Juleka from high school?” She asked. He nodded. “They're getting married and asked me to make their dresses.”

“That's great, Marinette!” He cheered. He offered a side hug, which she accepted. It came off a little awkward. There was a moment of silence. “Aren't you going to start the movie?” He asked.

She scooted a few centimeters away. Marinette pushed her bangs back. “In a minute.” She muttered. “Adrien, why do you keep coming back here?”

“What a weird question! We always hang out on April 17th!” He said.

“But why? Why do you keep coming to me, after all these years?” She sighed. “I know it's not like you'll bump into me on the street. I know that I'm not always easy to be around. But it's the same thing every year.”

“It's not the same thing every year.” He protested.

\---

-LAST YEAR-

Marinette opened the door to see Adrien. “Hi Marinette. I brought a travel sized karaoke machine!” He said, holding it up as evidence.

\---

-TWO YEARS AGO-

Marinette opened the door for him. “Hi Marinette. I found my original ‘Candy Land’ board game!” Adrien offered.

\---

-FIVE YEARS AGO-

She opened the door. It was Adrien. “Hi Marinette. I brought a movie for us to watch!”

“I don't have a TV, Adrien.” She protested.

He seemed embarrassed, so he left. He returned two hours later with a TV and DVD player. He then left them at her apartment as gifts.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“Is it wrong we make a point of spending time together?” He asked.

“It's not the togetherness. It's the when.” She said. “You only come on the anniversary. Are you just trying to alleviate some guilt?”

“No, Marinette--” Adrien argued.

“Whatever.” She threw her hands up. She picked up the remote and turned on the movie. It was a romantic comedy that had gotten decent reviews. The sort of clichéd drama one could easily forget.

He looked over at Marinette. She didn't seem to be enjoying it. Whatever she'd wanted him to say, he hadn't said it. Adrien paused the movie. “What's wrong, bugaboo?” He asked sweetly.

She pouted. “I don't want to talk about it.”

“It's important to talk about these things. Especially on the anniversary.”

Marinette’s knuckles turned white. She spun her head around, her cheeks burning. “I know that it’s the anniversary! You think that I’d forget?” She asked. “I remember it better than you!”

“Marinette…” He tried to think of something to distract her. “Have you spoken to your parents lately?”

“Have you spoken to your dad?” She snapped.

“That’s an unfair question, and you know it.” He hadn’t spoken to his father in nearly eight years.

“Admit it! Admit that you only come here to make sure I haven't killed myself!” She shouted. “Because if I die, then he wins! And if he wins, you lose!” She screamed. Tears were running down her face, which she hid behind her hands. Adrien leaned over to comfort her, but he hesitated. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It isn’t your fault. It’s not your fault.” She sobbed.

Adrien hugged her. “I’m sorry too.” She started breathing heavy, and she held her stomach with all her might. She then pulled her legs up, making herself very small. It was a coping method, one he’d seen once or twice before. She’d picked it up in therapy. He’d picked up one too, but it was different. His trauma was less intense than hers, after all.

Eventually she pulled herself out of it. “I’m sorry. I treasure the moments we get to spend together as friends.” She said with a smile. She was still hurting.

“Should I leave? I don’t want to make you feel unsafe.” He offered.

“I… no, you came all the way here. We should finish what we started.” Marinette said. She started the movie. It was longer than he had anticipated. While it wasn’t either of their favorites, they enjoyed it. When it was over, Adrien helped Marinette pick up her apartment. She wasn’t a messy person, but some things fell through the cracks. After they had finished, Adrien felt as though he had overstayed his welcome. He excused himself. “You should come again soon.” She said as he left.

He smiled softly. “I will.” They both knew he was lying. Still, she gave him an umbrella to keep him dry. She told him to return it when he visited next.

Adrien walked down the stairs. He looked at the umbrella. It was red with black polka dots. He left the building and opened it. The rain was coming down harder than before, and he was grateful for the gift. As he walked, he thought about what Marinette had accused him of. He knew she was right, but she didn’t know everything.

It was guilt. He didn’t know why he felt guilty. He hadn’t done anything. But it was also shame and love. He loved her. Guilt kept him coming back, but shame kept him away. Love kept him up at night. The three had collided together and formed one pitiful excuse for a human being. This gnarled, ugly thing kept Marinette always in his thoughts. It made his heart hurt with every step he took.

His phone buzzed. Marinette had texted him. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.” She’d written. “It was unfair. You were only trying to cheer me up.”

“I love you.” He wrote. He erased and replaced it with, “Don’t worry about it. It’ll take more than that to keep me down.” She sent him a smiling emoji. She was worried about it. He had taken the blame because he felt he deserved it, but she didn’t think the same.

When he got home, his cat Plague greeted him. Plague, nicknamed Plagg, was lazy and always hungry. But he was also smart, and he knew that Adrien needed a friendly face on April 17th. “Hey, Plagg.” He said, picking the cat up. He ditched his coat, shoes and Marinette’s umbrella by the door. He opened up his fridge, finding nothing but leftovers and alcohol inside. He fed Plagg and ignored the food in favor for drink. Adrien fell onto his couch and drank until he fell asleep.

\---

He woke up the next day to his phone ringing. He answered it sleepily, his head pounding. “Hello?” He said.

“Adrien, this is Alya Césaire.” The voice on the other end of the line said. She sounded frank and a little upset.

“Alya? What’s up?” He said. She almost never called him.

“Hold on. Are you drunk, Adrien?” She demanded.

“Isn’t drunk the thing you are when you’re drinking?” He asked. “I’m the thing that happens after you’re done. I’m that thing.”

“Hungover?”

“Yes! You’re so smart.”

“I don’t have time for this. Pull yourself together and meet me at the location I text you, okay? You’re going to want to see this.” She hung up. He pulled himself off of his couch and got dressed. He fed Plagg and then went to the location Alya sent him. When he got there, he saw many police cars, ambulances and reporters. He cursed himself for forgetting Alya was a reporter. She saw him and marched over. She looked at him for a moment. “God, you look like John fucking Bender from ‘the Breakfast Club’.” She insulted him.

“Aesthetic,” He said.

Alya groaned. She’d pulled her hair back, and she wore contacts when she was on camera. She wore a black pantsuit and a white v-neck shirt. Gold jewelry hung around her neck. She seemed angry, her cheeks flushed under the makeup. “It’s about time you got here.”

“Alya, I don’t know what this is about.” He protested. She told the cameras to stay away and offered him a press pass. He draped it around his neck and they pushed through the crowds of people. Each step they took made the pit in his stomach grow. When they got as close as civilians were allowed, he could see why Alya had called him.

A teenage girl was lying dead in the grass. She’d been ditched there unceremoniously, stripped and covered in bruises and cuts. What stood out the most was the gashes on her shoulder blades--some had said it was an x, other a butterfly. “That’s Manon Chamack. She was fifteen, and had been missing for two weeks.” Alya explained as Adrien’s mind was filled with memories. “It fits his M.O, Adrien.”

“Do they… do they know what happened to her?” He breathed.

“She vanished one night on her way home. She was dumped and buried a few days ago, but the rain washed away the dirt.” She said. “I think you can fill in the rest on your own.” Alya sighed and put her hand on his shoulder.

“He escaped from prison then.”

“It could be a copycat. She doesn’t fit victimology. She doesn’t have the look…”

“It wasn’t about Manon, it was about Marinette.” Adrien argued. Marinette babysat Manon before she started school. Everyone knew it. “He’s back.”

“We don't know that.” She said.

“You do know it, or you would have called someone else.” He snapped. “He wants revenge. And he's going to find Marinette.”

“Okay. I’ll call her.” Alya said.

“No, do your show. I'll talk to her.” He said. She nodded, and he returned the press pass. He walked away, faster than he'd walked there. He got out his phone and called the prison. “Hello, this is Adrien Agreste. I need to speak to the warden.” He was put on hold.

“This is Warden Belrose. Monsieur Agreste, we’ve been trying to contact you, but you haven't returned our calls.” The warden said. “Some new recruits thought that they could handle your father’s unique ability. They couldn't. He killed them and then escaped.”

“Do you have any idea where he is?”

“If I did, we would have caught him by now.”

“He's somewhere in Paris, his most recent victim proves that.”

“He might come after you. You should go someplace safe. Maybe even leave the city.”

“I'll consider it. Thank you for letting me know.” Adrien hung up. He texted the information to Alya, and began his walk in earnest.

As he walked, his world distorted. Their screams, the ones he'd never heard, echoed in his head. He felt something warm on his arm. He rolled up his sleeve. A long gash was bleeding profusely. He covered it up and pretended he hadn't seen it. Adrien stumbled to Marinette’s building.

He didn't stop for the doorman. The elevator was still out of service, so he climbed the stairs. Adrien found Marinette’s door and opened it without knocking. He stumbled through the hallway, hearing the TV playing. He saw a mess of dark hair on the couch. “Marinette.” He said, putting his hand on the person’s shoulder. The woman spun around. It was Juleka. She shrieked but then relaxed. “Juleka?”

“What are you doing here?” She asked. Her voice was quiet but accusatory.

The door to Marinette’s spare bedroom opened. It was Rose. She wore a beautiful wedding dress, but it was pinned in some places. It must have been their first fitting. “Juleka! What's wrong?” Rose asked. She saw Adrien. Her big blue eyes betrayed her fear. “Adrien?”

Marinette pushed past Rose. She was shocked but not afraid. A welcome change. She laughed and leaned against the threshold. “I thought it had been twelve hours, not twelve months.” She teased. “What are you doing here?”

“Marinette, may we speak in private?” He said, desperate.

“I'm in the middle of a fitting. Can it wait, like, two hours?” She asked.

“I'm…” He looked between Juleka and Rose. Ever since the news had broken nine years ago, most of the girls in his class had been afraid of him. Marinette wasn't, and Alya had just been angry at him. He didn't want to frighten them. “I'm sure that it can.” He said.

Marinette blinked. She turned to Rose. “So we just have to take it in a bit, but do you like it?”

“I love it!” She said, bouncing. She looked at Juleka. “What do you think, my love?” She asked, spinning. The dress was beautiful, a sweetheart neckline and a ball gown skirt. There were jewels sewn into the bodice, and silver trim on the hem. A soft pink ribbon was clamped into place, suggesting a bow or belt.

“You look beautiful.” Juleka smiled.

“Is there anything you need changed?” Marinette asked.

“Not a thing.” They said at the same time.

She grinned. “Alright. I'll make some note of some alterations and then, Juleka, we’ll do your fitting.” She ushered Rose back into the room, shooting one last look at Adrien before closing the door.

This left Adrien and Juleka alone in Marinette's living room. “How have you been?” He asked cheerfully.

“You never answered my question.” She demanded, “Why are you here?” She still had her bangs covering one of her eyes, but her hair was shoulder-length now. She wore a graphic tee-shirt and ripped black skinny jeans.

“It isn’t really any of your business, Juleka. It’s between me and Marinette.”

“It’s Gabriel, isn’t it.” She said.

He stared at her for a moment. “Your power is replication, right? So how is it that you can read minds?” She laughed.

Many of their friends in high school learned that they had supernatural abilities. Adrien knew only a few, like Juleka’s replication and Nino’s regeneration. He possessed the ability of bad luck, destruction, and prophetic dreams. Juleka and Adrien had been born with their abilities. Adrien’s dreams were awakened in an accident. Nino had been experimented on as a child.

He knew there were others. There had to be. And while they weren’t good for much in the day to day, most of them had adapted to being part of the mutant generation.

Juleka’s smile vanished. “You seemed stressed and upset. I had only assumed, but that you do not wish to talk to me confirms the worst.” She was silent for a moment. “Why did you come here?”

“I have to warn Marinette. I have to convince her to go someplace safer.”

“She doesn’t want to leave. She’s made this place a safe space.” She held out her hand. “Let me see your arm.”

“No.” He held his arm closer. Her eyes glowed pink, and a replica of herself appeared next to him. The replica grabbed his arm and pushed his sleeve up. The scars were there, both new and old. He yanked his arm away and used his powers to destroy the replica.

“You’re hurting yourself again.” She said.

“Don’t judge me, Juleka.” Cutting wasn’t something he’d ever grown out of.

“You reek of alcohol. Are you drunk?”

“Hungover.”

“Are you trying to die?”

“There are things inside of me that I need to kill.” He sighed. “Listen. My life has been quiet and peaceful for five years. But that is going to change and I need to keep that from happening to Marinette. You and Rose are safe, you have your powers--”

“Rose doesn’t have any powers.” Juleka interrupted.

“--so you can get away if he targets you. But Marinette needs to hide. He will come after her.”

“Marinette isn’t as defenseless as you think. Your father can’t control her.”

“That won’t matter.” The door opened and Rose appeared. She’d changed out of the dress into her regular clothes. She had kept her blonde hair cropped short. She wore a cute pink dress and white tights with pink hearts. She ran over to Juleka and hugged her from behind.

“Your turn, Juleka.” Marinette said. Juleka stood, and Rose took her spot. They kissed sweetly, and Rose’s eyes didn’t leave Juleka until the door closed. Her eyes lingered there for a moment before she faked a huge grin and made eye contact with Adrien.

There was a very, very long moment of silence. “So, you aren’t modeling anymore!” She said with forced cheeriness.

“Rose, we don’t have to talk if it makes you uncomfortable.” Adrien said.

“Oh, thank God!” She cried out. She dug around in her purse and got out her phone. He got out his and opened a game. “Because it was always really weird around you after the whole thing came out!” Rose blurted out. He looked up in confusion. “It was never the same. You hadn’t changed, but you had. It was hard for people not to see you as Gabriel’s son before. It was impossible after.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He said.

“And I know that it wasn’t your fault. I know that they said you had nothing to do with it.” She said. “But even though I know these things, even though we all knew them, we couldn’t separate it. You are his son, and we fear you because we fear him.”

“I know.” He repeated. “I know. You have every right to be afraid of him. I’m afraid of him, too. If that means that you fear me, too, then I can’t stop you.” He said. “I can’t change the way you feel.”

Rose frowned. “It’s really hard to hate you, you know. You’re so understanding.” She admitted. “It would be easier if you resented us.”

“I don’t want to fall into hatred.”

The door opened to reveal Juleka. She wore a black dress. It had a swan neckline and an empire skirt. The sleeves were black lace and hung loose around her arms. There was a black lace train that had been pinned up so it didn't drag. “What do you think?” Marinette asked. “You didn’t give me much to go on.”

Rose gasped in delight. Juleka smiled softly, and she looked to Marinette. “It’s beautiful.” She said. She seemed to be glowing, as if she hadn’t felt pretty in a long time. “It’s exactly the dress I imagined.”

Marinette smiled. “I’m glad you like it. It won’t take much in the way of alterations, but I think I might bring it up some.”

After a few minutes, Juleka and Marinette went back into the room. This only led to more awkward silences from Rose and Adrien. This time, however, neither of them opened their phones. They just stared at each other for a solid six minutes. They visibly relaxed when Marinette opened the door.

Rose grabbed her purse and dug her checkbook out. “How much do we owe you?”

Marinette, flustered, hesitated. Adrien spoke up. “Five-forty-five, if you’ve already paid for the dresses.”

Marinette offered an awkward grin, but Rose seemed happy to give that amount to her. She ripped out the check. Rose hugged Marinette and pushed the check into her hands. She grabbed Juleka’s hand and dragged her out of the apartment. Before the door closed, Juleka conjured a replica to nod at Adrien. “What’s up?” She said to Adrien.

“Marinette, I need to tell you something.” He said.

Her eyes widened. She ran her hands through her hair. “No, I don’t think you should.” He didn’t say anything. “Please tell me that you got promoted. That you found a movie you think I’ll like. That I have something stuck in my teeth.” She looked at him in unadulterated fear. “Anything but what you’re about to say.”

“Do you remember Manon Chamack?” He asked. She nodded. “She was murdered. My father escaped from prison and now he’s going to come after you.”

“No!” She cried out. She her knees gave out and she crumpled onto the ground. She sobbed into her hands. “This is not happening! This can’t be happening!”

He kneeled and put his hands on her shoulders. “You know I wouldn’t ask this if I thought that it wasn’t important.” Adrien said. She looked up at him. “I need you to tell me everything my father did to you in the attic.”


	2. Relive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette keeps getting distracted.

-TEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette was fourteen years old, full of life and energy. She was incredibly creative, her designs unique and interesting. She rushed into the fashion contest, her forgetfulness causing her to run a little late. She had all her designs packed inside a suitcase, and as she was running, she ran into someone.

She knocked them over, and she yelped. “I am so sorry! Are you alright?” She said. When she gathered her composure, she blushed. She was face-to-face with Adrien, the most popular model from the Gabriel line. She couldn’t find words to match her shock.

He smiled at her. “It’s alright. Here, let me help you up.” He said. He pulled himself off of the ground and offered his hand to her. She took it, hoping that her palms weren’t sweaty. “Are you here for the fashion contest?”

“Y-yeah! I hear the competition is going to be pretty steep!” She said.

“A lot of people entered.” He agreed. “But for what it’s worth, I hope that you win.”

“But you just met me!” She argued.

“I like to think that I have a good sense of talent.” He said with a grin. An announcement came over the intercom. It told the contestants that they had five minutes before judges started to come around. Marinette panicked and started to run. “Wait! What’s your name?” Adrien shouted.

“I’m Marinette!” She called back.

The contest went rather smoothly after Marinette rushed to get set up. She had brought several of her designs, setting them up on the mannequins provided. She tried to hide her nervousness as the judge came by. They didn’t say anything, but the noises they made sounded positive. Adrien walked by with them, offering Marinette an amicable wave. She waved back, her face burning like fire.

A few hours later, the results came in. The winner was a boy a few years older than Marinette with more experience. She’d ranked second, which was good, but it was a blow to her pride. She started her walk home when Adrien called out her name. “You did really well today.” He said with a smile.

“I only got second. That’s not good.” She said with a deep frown.

“You got second out of one hundred and eighty-four contestants. That’s amazing!” He complimented, bringing a smile to her face. “You’re on Paris’s up and coming designers list! You’ve got to be proud.”

She thought about it. “You know what? I am proud!” She declared. “Thanks, Adrien. You really cheered me up.”

He smiled at her. “Hey, do you maybe want to hang out sometime?” He asked.

She grinned. “That would be amazing!” She squealed. She wrote down her phone number on his hand and ran home.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Adrien opened the door for Marinette. She smiled at him, but her jaw dropped when she saw the subdued beauty of his home. “You live here?” She asked.

“Yeah. Come on in.” He said.

She stepped inside and spun. “I can’t even see where the ceiling ends!” She exclaimed.

He flushed. “We’ve got a project to do, right? Let’s go up to my room.” He suggested. Marinette grinned and nodded. He led her up the stairs to his bedroom. Marinette’s jaw dropped again when she saw it.

“This is your bedroom? This is the size of my house!” She said. She looked around, and he watched her move. When she spoke, her entire body moved with her. She was full of vigor for everything around her. Everything was amazing, and she was ready to experience it all. He knew he was falling for her when she looked back at him. Her eyes sparkled like they held the stars within. “Let's get to work!”

They sat down and started working on their project. They worked for several hours when the door to his room opened. “Adrien, are you in here?” His father said.

“I'm right here, sir!” Adrien called out from the other side of the couch. Marinette spun around in awe. “Did you need something?”

“Who is this?” Gabriel demanded.

Marinette climbed over the couch. “My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng! I'm a huge fan of your work, Monsieur Agreste!”

Gabriel looked down at her and then up at his son. Adrien stood and walked closer. “She's a friend from school. We’re working on a project together.” His father looked at him for a while and then back to Marinette. Suddenly, the look in his eye changed. What was at first something skeptical was now something primal. Marinette noticed too, as her posture became more guarded. “Father?”

“Perhaps Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng would like to stay for dinner?” Gabriel asked.

For some reason, the way he said it didn't sit right with Adrien. He looked to Marinette with hopes she would decline. “Sorry. My parents are making my favorite. Don't want to miss that!” She smiled. Adrien hid a sigh of relief. “Maybe next time, though!”

He nodded. “Adrien, don't forget that you have a photo shoot tomorrow after school.”

“Yes, sir.” Gabriel left the room, but Adrien didn't relax.

“Your dad is a lot scarier in person than he is on TV.” Marinette said. She looked at him and noticed his frown. “What's wrong?” She saw his arm. There were small scars on his skin. They were pale, and for a moment, she wondered how she hadn't seen them before. “What's wrong with your arm?” She asked. She reached over to touch him.

He pulled away. “Nothing. We should get back to work.” After a moment he added, “Maybe we should work on this at your place from now on.”

“But your place is so much cooler than my place!” She protested.

“But your parents give me snacks when I'm at your place.” He said. She couldn't argue with that.

\---

Marinette walked alone as the sun was setting. She had forgotten to return Adrien’s book, and hoping for a chance to see him, went to his home. She tried to find a door bell, and pushed something that seemed right. A stern woman with dark hair appeared on the TV set. “What could you want at this hour?” She demanded.

“I… Adrien lent me this book. I meant to return it today, but I spaced and forgot!” She said. The mail slot opened, and she dropped it in. The woman disappeared, and Marinette frowned.

She started the long walk home to the bakery. She looked up at the sky. The sky was getting darker quickly. It would be night time before she got home. Marinette let her hair down and started to fix it.

She heard a car drive up. She didn't pay any attention to it until it slowed down. It drove next to her slowly. She looked at it in confusion. Marinette recognized it. It was the Agreste family car.

The car door opened and a large man Adrien referred to as the Gorilla stepped out. He didn't seem happy to see her, nor did she like the look of the rag in his hand.

Marinette started to run. She removed her jacket to reveal her shoulders and her dragonfly wings. It took a second for them to peel off her skin, but before she could fly away, the Gorilla grabbed her ankle.

She yelled as he pulled her down, and she struggled as he covered her mouth and nose with the rag. She slowly lost consciousness.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“How much did the prosecutors tell you?” Marinette asked. She'd let her hair down and it hung in a curtain.

“I know that he kept you for two weeks, and that he… that he raped you.” Adrien struggled to find the words. His body was shaking, but he tried to hide it.

“You know there was more.” She looked at him.

“I drew my own conclusions about the butterfly scars.” He said.

She nodded. Her breath was shaky and uneven as she continued.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Marinette woke up groggily. She shivered, noticing that she’d been stripped. She held her legs close to keep herself warm. The room was dark and large, various ropes and metal tools lying around. On the walls there were cameras showing nearly every room in the house.

She summoned her wings and tried to fly off. She was jerked downward. She looked at her leg and saw that it was chained to the floor.

She let herself fall and she tried to pull the chains out. She wasn't getting anywhere, and she considered how much strength it would take to break the bones in her foot. Her bones were hollow, allowing for flight, but this meant they were easy to break.

She didn't get the chance to do it. Gabriel Agreste climbed up into the room. He looked at her with hunger in her eyes. She struggled against the chain. He walked over to her and forced her against the wall.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“I haven’t eaten for hours. Are you hungry?” Marinette said suddenly. She stood up. His stomach growled. “That’s a yes. When was the last time you ate?” He didn’t say anything, which caused Marinette to stop in her tracks. “Whatever the answer is, it was too long ago.”

“You don’t have to worry about upsetting me.” Adrien said. She pulled a frozen pizza out of the freezer and started to preheat the oven. “Marinette?”

She put the pizza in the oven and set a timer. She jumped when Adrien’s phone started to ring. “Who is it?”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It's my accounting firm.” He excused himself to take the call in the hallway. “Hello, this is Adrien Félix.” He said into the phone.

“Monsieur Félix, are you feeling alright? You've never been late to work.” The receptionist asked.

“I… No, something has come up. I'm fine, but I'm going to need some time.” He rubbed his temple. “How much vacation time do I have saved up?”

“Let me check. You have… four months of vacation time saved.”

“I'm using all of it, starting now. Sorry for such short notice. Tell my clients that I'll be happy to help them when I get back.” He answered a few more questions and then hung up. He went back inside. Marinette had sat back down.

“What was that about?” She asked.

“I just had to make some arrangements because of recent events.” He said.

“Adrien, you're shaking.” Marinette said. He seemed surprised, but he held up his hands. Sure enough, they shook like autumn leaves in the wind. “Adrien.”

“Marinette, don't worry about me. This is about you right now.” He reassured her. He pulled his arms in. “I'm here for you.”

“And I'm here for you. Can we talk about you for a minute? In nine years, all we’ve ever done is talk about me. I want to talk about you.”

“Talking about me isn't going to help.”

She stood up. “And what do you expect knowing what he did to me is going to help?” She demanded. “You want to know how I was raped every night? How your dad cut at my back and my legs just to watch me bleed? How I screamed your name every day because I didn't know why you couldn't hear me?” Marinette leaned against the wall and slid down.

He walked over to her. “I didn't know you were calling out for me.”

She laughed bitterly. “Yes you did. You knew and you tried to find me. But you couldn't have known that I was right above you the whole time. That when you came home I could see you on his monitors.”

“You could… see me?” He breathed. He remembered the thirteen days and fourteen nights Marinette was missing. After school he’d look for her. He knew that she'd been taken by a serial killer referred to as ‘the Pale’ before the police. He knew that if they didn't find her in fourteen days, she was as good as dead.

“I saw you… I saw that you tried to hang yourself.” She said. His face grew pale. “That's when I learned that I had telekinesis.”

“You have telekinesis?”

“I didn't always.” She hesitated.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Marinette was sobbing. She was so cold, frightened and confused. Gabriel opened the hatch to the attic and she shuddered at his presence. “Please let me go.” She begged.

He ignored her in favor of a knife. He walked over to her and pinned her to the wall. She pleaded for him not to do it. He pushed the knife into her skin and brought it slowly against her skin. She screeched, hot tears rolling down her face.

He cut her like this over and over, obviously enjoying her misery. She screamed for him to stop, and while at first it seemed like he wouldn't, his phone rang. Gabriel hissed and dropped the knife. She was still crying, but she covered her mouth to keep herself quiet. He nodded approvingly. “Speak.” He said into his phone. The person on the phone spoke for a while. Gabriel hung up and looked at Marinette. “Do not move.” He ordered.

He left the attic. Marinette watched the monitors and saw that he'd left the mansion. She spotted the knife within reach and her foot. Her breathing got heavy as she grabbed the knife. Marinette sawed at her ankle, screaming in agony as she disembodied her own foot.

By the time it was over, she could hardly see from shock and tears. But she was free and she wasted no time trying to escape. Marinette crawled over to the rags Gabriel used to clean his knife and wrapped up her ankle. She used her remaining foot to kick open the hatch and dropped down.

Marinette's entire body was in agony. She pushed forward, hopping on one foot and using her wings to balance herself. She hobbled to the stairs and took a deep breath.

She was pushed down the stairs, tumbling backwards and hitting her head twice on the steps. She rolled towards the door. Marinette saw once last hope of freedom and reached for the doorknob. A woman stepped around her and locked the door. Marinette looked up to see the woman with dark hair. “I am so very sorry.” She said as Marinette lost consciousness.

She woke up a few hours later with what remained of her ankle bandaged. The chain was on her other foot, and Marinette mentally prepared herself for punishment.

She was indeed punished, so much so that it was hard for her to move. She was convinced that she would die before morning came. She laid on the floor and shivered, too tired to even cry. She watched the monitors as Gabriel changed out of his bloody clothes. Marinette saw Adrien. It had been many days, she knew he couldn't hear her.

He sat down on his couch and buried his head in his hands. He sat there for a very long time. Marinette guessed it must have been near midnight. Then he stood and looked around. He found a few cords and started to tie them together.

Confused, Marinette forced herself to sit up. She watched him make a noose out of the cords. She recoiled, but still said nothing. Adrien pulled his computer chair to where he'd hung up the noose. He put the noose around his neck and climbed up onto the chair.

“ADRIEN!” Marinette screamed. Gabriel looked at her in shock and then at the monitors. He dropped everything in his hands as he ran out of the attic. Marinette watched helplessly as the chair was kicked out from under him. She prayed that the cords would untangled, that the noose would unravel and he'd fall.

She saw her clenched fists cloaked in a red light. She focused on the cords, and they unraveled. Adrien fell to the ground. He was shocked that he'd fallen, a solid five seconds between his fall and when Gabriel burst into the room.

From the screen, Marinette could see the screaming. Adrien’s pure, unbridled fury. His fists and his pacing. Gabriel didn't react at first. When he did, he ignored Adrien’s anger and hugged him. Adrien didn't move for a while. When he did, he was crying. His knees gave out and he fell to the floor again.

Gabriel fell with him. Marinette saw this, and she wondered if it really had been her influence that untangled the cords. But there wasn't much time to consider it before she lost consciousness.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien remembered that. His father had asked Nathalie to add therapy to Adrien’s schedule after that.

Nathalie. Nathalie Sancoeur had been his father’s assistant. She had been sent to prison as an accessory, just as the Gorilla had, but Adrien didn't know how she'd helped his father. He never looked into it.

Now he knew. Nathalie had prevented Marinette's first escape. She'd actually assaulted her in doing so.

Her words echoed in his head. “There will be other Marinettes.” She'd said.

He remembered yelling that the police needed to find Marinette. That they couldn't let her die. Nathalie told him he was being irrational. That there was nothing about Marinette worth saving. He'd screamed at her. ‘Marinette is the only thing worth saving!’ ‘There will be other Marinettes.’

“You remember what happened next, right?” Marinette asked.

“Yes.” Adrien nodded.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Marinette was finally alone. She focused her mind on the chains and tried to rip them apart. They clanked and clattered for a while, but they wouldn't break. She held onto them and pulled. Instead of focusing on the chain, she focused on the wall around it. It broke much easier.

She managed to break the chain from the shackle with a hammer in the attic, which meant she could hobble more quietly. Marinette forced open the hatch and stumbled down the hall.

Marinette fell to her knees but kept walking. She tried to use her telekinesis to act as a temporary foot, but it didn't quite work out. She saw a light coming from Adrien’s bedroom and went towards it.

Adrien was in the bathtub. He'd taken his razor blade with him and had made several cuts on his arm. They were bleeding into the water. He watched the water dilute the blood as it swirled around. After so many years, the cuts barely hurt anymore.

But that wasn't to say that he wanted people to see them. When something pounded on the bathroom door, he jumped. The water around him sloshed, and after a moment’s hesitation, he shouted, “Can I get some privacy in here?” The door slid open. Marinette stumbled inside, falling to her knees. Adrien was shocked for a moment. “Marinette?”

She looked up at him with tears running down her face. “Help me.” She whispered before falling on her face.

Adrien jumped out of the tub and ran towards her. He fell to his knees and slid next to her. He picked Marinette up and pulled her into his lap. “Marinette! Stay with me!” He said, trying to keep his voice low. She opened her eyes. He could see the pain and suffering that had replaced the stars. “What happened to you?” He whispered.

“Your dad…” She muttered. “He kidnapped me. I finally… I finally escaped.” She started to sob. “Please! Please! You have to help me! Don't let him hurt me again!”

All of the moisture in his mouth dried up. But he nodded and put her gently on the floor. He ran towards his clothes and quickly pulled on his boxers and jeans. He pulled his tee shirt over Marinette's head and helped her to her feet--foot, he soon realized. “I'm going to take you to the hospital.” Adrien said, helping her out of the bathroom and towards the stairs.

“How are you going to get me there? If we try to walk we’ll never get out of the gate. Even if we could, we’d never make it there before my leg gets worse.” She argued. “If we call an ambulance it'll only wake up your father.”

He thought about that as they descended. He looked at the door to the garage. “We could take the car.” He suggested.

“Do you have any idea how to drive?” Marinette asked.

“Not a damned clue.”

Adrien and Marinette reached the bottom of the stairs. She could hear his heart beating faster as he directed her towards the door. He shifted so he could attempt to open it. It was locked. “New plan?” She suggested.

He hesitated. “Not if you can keep a secret.” He said. She grew tense. He shifted again and clawed up his hand. Darkness grew around his fingertips, and he placed his palm next to the doorknob. A hole in the shape of his hand appeared, and Adrien reached through it to unlock the door.

“How did you do that?” Marinette asked as he pushed open the door.

“Remember those freaks Chloé is always talking about?” He asked. “I'm one of them. We can talk about it in the car.”

Adrien opened the passenger side door with his bad luck and helped Marinette into it. He opened the garage door and then got into the driver’s seat. “Are you sure that you can do this?” She asked.

“Doesn't really matter if I can or not right now.” He said. Adrien put the car in reverse and backed out of the garage. So far, it was pretty easy. Outside of the garage he turned around and headed for the gate. He forgot to put the car in drive and almost hit the garage. Marinette glared at him and he laughed nervously.

Adrien drove to the gate and pressed a button to open it. Marinette saw people running out of the house towards the car. “Go go go!” She shouted. He panicked and slammed on the gas. The car sped through the gate before it was completely open, knocking back the driver's side window.

Marinette was still nervous and her heart was beating fast, but she was smiling. Adrien caught a glimpse of it and smiled too. It was fleeting. “Which way to the hospital?” He asked.

“Get on this road and then keep going until you get to Rue de Sèvres.”

“Won't that take me to the Eiffel Tower?”

“You asked me how to get there, and I told you.” She snapped.

Adrien nodded and followed her instructions. He realized how little he actually knew about driving. He constantly sped up only to slam on his brakes when he reached a red light or stop sign. Adrien looked over at Marinette to see that she was in severe pain. She seemed to be losing consciousness and he worried that she was dying.

So he decided to forego brakes entirely and raced to the hospital, ignoring the fact that he now had a police officer following him.

When they reached the hospital, Adrien parked near the entrance. There wasn't a parking spot there. He jumped out and walked around to the other side so he could help Marinette inside. They hobbled over to the reception.

“Please, you have to help her.” Adrien begged. “She was kidnapped by the Pale.”

The receptionist freaked out and called emergency. Very soon, doctors rushed down and helped her onto the gurney. Adrien went over to the car, which he kept spare clothes in, and grabbed clean clothes.

He had to deal with the police officer, which was more embarrassing than it could have been since he was shirtless and had parked on the curb, but the ticket he got was pretty small compared to Marinette's life.

He changed in the bathroom and pulled out his phone. It was two-thirty in the morning. He first placed a call to the police to tell them that his father Gabriel Agreste was the Pale. Then it was time to tell Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng where their daughter was.

He looked at the number in his phone. He took a deep breath and called them. It barely finished ringing once when Tom answered. “Hello? Please tell me you have news of Marinette!”

“I do. We’re at the hospital on Rue de Sèvres. Monsieur Dupain--” Adrien didn't get a chance to finish before he hung up. He supposed they were on their way.

Adrien went into Marinette's room. She was sleeping. She wore a face mask and there was an IV in her arm. He looked at the doctor’s clipboard but couldn't make heads or tails of it.

After fifteen minutes, Tom and Sabine crashed into the room. Sabine nearly burst into tears. “Oh, my poor baby!” She sobbed as she ran to Marinette's side. Even with all of the commotion she was still sleeping.

“You were the one who brought her here?” Tom asked. Adrien hesitated but nodded. Tom hugged him tightly. “You brought her back to us. How can we ever thank you?” He said.

He frowned. “I don't think you'll be thanking me after you learn how it was that I found her.” Adrien explained that his father was not just a serial killer, but the Pale. He knew that the Pale was kidnapping and killing teenage girls with a certain look. “I’m the one who introduced him to Marinette. I am so, so, unbelievably sorry.”

Tom and Sabine exchanged a look. Sabine’s grey eyes were still wet with tears. She put her hands on his shoulders. “Adrien, look at me. I want you to answer me honestly.” She said firmly. “Did you know your father had Marinette?”

He jumped. “No! I didn’t have any clue!”

“Then why are you sorry? You saved her life.” She said. She pulled him closer for a hug. She started to cry, and he hugged her back.

Tom and Sabine went inside Marinette’s hospital room again. Adrien stood outside. He could hear the doctors say that her wound had become infected, and they were going to amputate more of her leg to keep gangrene from spreading. After she woke up, she was to start physical therapy and eventually would get a prosthetic leg.

Adrien waited for a long time. Eventually, a police officer arrived. “Are you Adrien Agreste?” He asked.

“Yes?” He said. The police officer grabbed his shirt and pulled him up. “Wait! What is this about? Is it about the car?”

“Your father has implicated you in the kidnapping of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” The officer said, and every part of Adrien’s body went numb.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“Wait. He did that?” Marinette asked. She’d finished baking the pizza and offered Adrien a slice.

“Yeah. I don’t know why he did it.” He said, taking the plate from her.

She sat down next to him. “Maybe he thought that you wouldn’t go against him if you had something to lose?” He shrugged.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Adrien was handcuffed to a chair. He was sitting alone in a brightly lit room. In front of him was a metal desk and two chairs. There was a window to the side, but he could see through it. The door opened, and a woman entered. She walked over to the video camera and started recording. Then she sat down across from him and fiddled with the file in front of her. “Monsieur Agreste, I am Dominique Tremblay. I’m going to ask you a few questions.”

“Should I have a lawyer present?” He asked.

“If you didn’t do anything, why would you need one?” She asked. He knew that was manipulation. But it also worked, because he didn’t say anything else about a lawyer. “So, where were you on the night of April 17th?” Detective Tremblay asked.

“I was at my friend Nino’s house. We had a science project that we were partnered up for.”

“Can anyone other than Nino confirm this?”

He shrugged. “His mom?” The detective made a note of this. “What did my father say that I did?”

“Please, Monsieur Agreste, this will go faster if you let me ask the questions.” She said. He nodded. “So, when you came home that night, did you notice anything strange?”

“Not really. It was quiet, like it usually was.”

“And you had no idea that Marinette was being held in your attic?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“So you didn’t, as your father said, suggest that his next victim be Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng?”

“He said I wanted him to kidnap her?” He demanded. “Marinette is one of my closest friends! I would never do that to her! I wouldn’t do that to anyone!”

She was quiet for a moment as she took note of his reaction. “So you deny ever scheming with your father to harm Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng or any of his other victims?”

“I never helped him!” She nodded and pushed an envelope towards him. “What is this?”

“Open it. Do you recognize any of these girls?”

Adrien did as he was asked. Inside there were pictures of about thirteen dead teenage girls. Most of them had dark hair, and all had bright colored eyes. They all looked to be about Marinette’s height and build. But he didn’t know any of them. “No, I don’t.”

“None of them look familiar?”

“No. Some of these photographs look decades old.”

She seemed surprised at this deduction. Instead of that, she asked, “You don’t know how long the Pale has been around then, do you?”

“I only heard about him a few years ago.”

“The Pale’s first confirmed murder was twenty-two years ago. He was profiled as being between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four, so that makes him old enough to be your father.” Detective Tremblay said. “And it definitely means that you didn’t help him with most of these. But the murder last year, Cerise Duval. She was a grade higher than you.”

“I was being homeschooled before this year. I never got a chance to meet her.”

She nodded. “Monsieur Agreste.” She said. He looked up at her. “What is that mark around your neck?” His hand flew up to his neck. He’d forgotten that the cords had left a scar. He didn’t answer. “You have cuts on your arm as well. Do you take medication for your depression?”

He couldn’t speak for a while. “I don’t have depression.”

“Did your father cut you, or do you cut yourself? Did your father try to hang you, or did you try to hang yourself?”

“I…”

“Your behavior is obviously suicidal.” She leaned forward. “I believe that you saying you don’t have depression is the only lie you’ve told me so far. I know that your depression is so severe, death seems to be your only escape. So I need to know, when did these behaviors start, how long will your more severe symptoms last, and have they gotten worse lately?”

He started to shake. “I’ve had these feelings for as long as I can remember. The self harm started after my mother left us three years ago. The more severe symptoms come for weeks at a time. I tried to hang myself when I thought that Marinette wasn’t going to come back.”

“Why would you want to kill yourself if Marinette died?”

“Because I love her.” He said. “She means everything to me. And now she probably hates me.”

Dominique was quiet. “So, listen. You’re going to get in trouble for stealing that car. Probably not a lot given… everything about you and the events leading up to the theft.” She said. “I think we could probably get you off on probation for a few months without any jail time. You’re a good kid. It’ll be easy.”

“What’s the catch?”

“Marinette might not be emotionally stable enough to take the stand against your father.” She said. “We need you to testify against him.”

“You want me to help you put my father in prison?”

“He’s a bad man, Adrien. You know doing this is the right thing.” She argued. “Your father kidnapped her, raped her, beat her and cut her. Every second she spent with him was agony. You saved her from that.” She slid a piece of paper towards him. “And you can save her again. All you have to do is sign.”

He read the paper she’d put in front of him. “If I do this, you can assure me that he’ll never get out of prison?”

“He will never see the light of day again.”

Adrien signed it without a second thought.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“Adults kept saying that I saved you. But I didn’t save you. You saved yourself, and I just took you to the hospital. If I hadn’t been there, you still would have found a way to survive.” Adrien said. He leaned back and sighed. “And my testimony, it barely made a difference. You, your struggle to survive. That’s what put him away.”

“For what good it did. He escaped and now he wants me dead.” She said. Marinette put her plate on the coffee table.

“I won’t let that happen.” He declared.

“I am not as defenseless now as I was back then.” She said a bit too quickly.

He took a deep breath. He closed his eyes. “Marise Fortier. Corrine Lebeau. Sandra Laurent. Denise Glaisyer. Nadine Colbert. Solène Lécuyer. Aveline Sarkozy. Sylvianne Kowalski. Mimi de la Fontaine. Selena Maçon. Astrid North. Lizzie Rey. Cerise Duval.” He opened his eyes. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

“You remember all of their names?”

“Their names and their faces.” He said. “I think about them all the time. I wonder what kind of people they would grow up to be if my father hadn’t come along. I wonder what made him stop for all of those years.” Adrien looked off into the distance. “I have so many questions. And I don’t know if I want the answers.”

She nudged him. “Why did it take him escaping from prison for you to come back?” He was caught off guard by this question. “I missed you. Only seeing you once a year… I wondered if you blamed me for ruining your life.”

“Marinette, you didn’t ruin my life.” Adrien reassured her. He took a deep breath once again. “I stayed away because I was too ashamed to see you. I thought that you blamed me. I thought that you wouldn’t want to see me.”

“I could never hate you, Adrien.” Marinette said. She bit her lip. “I…” She sighed and leaned on him. She laughed bitterly. “We’re a couple of messed up freaks, aren’t we?” He rubbed her arm and nodded.

It started to get late, and Adrien realized it was time for him to leave. When he moved, she looked at him sadly. “What?” He asked.

“I… I don't want you to leave.” She said.

“I have to. I need to feed my cat.” Adrien argued.

“Will you come back?”

“I was planning on it, since I officially have four months of vacation time on my hands.” He joked. Marinette didn't laugh. “What's wrong, bugaboo?”

“I'd just feel safer if we were together. Safety in numbers.”

He blinked. She was pouting, but he could only tell because he knew her. Her face was hidden behind her hair again. He opened his wallet and removed a Polaroid of his mother and handed it to her. She took it, confused. “Hold onto this. I'll feed Plagg and come straight back.”

“Why don't you just keep some of your things here? So you don't have to keep going between these two places?” She asked, looking at the photo.

He blushed. “If that makes you feel safer.”

She shrugged. “I don't know about safer but I've always wanted to meet your cat.” She joked. He laughed.

He walked alone as the day turned into night. He put headphones in and listened to music as he walked. He got home soon after, and Plagg greeted him loudly. “Hi Plagg. You're hungry, I know.” He fed the cat and entered his bedroom.

He pulled a backpack out of his closet and filled it with clothes. He grabbed a few other things and then pushed blankets into Plagg’s carrier.

For the next twelve minutes Adrien chased his cat around his home. Because, as Adrien aptly put it when he finally got Plagg in the carrier, “You're such an asshole cat.”

He picked up the carrier and started his walk back. It was almost completely dark outside, and he felt a chill in the air. He walked faster.

When he got back, Marinette had pushed her mannequins into the living room. She had made her office into a bedroom for him. “I didn't want you to have to sleep on my couch.” She said, nervously. She took the carrier out of his hands so he could relax. “Is this Plagg? Hi, kitty kitty!” He mowed and she smiled. She opened the carrier so he could get out.

“Thank you, Marinette.” Adrien said.

“Thank you, Adrien. I asked you to come.” She said.

She turned to leave the room. “Wait.” He said. Marinette turned. Adrien couldn't find the words to say. He knew what he wanted to, but didn't want to make it weird. “Sweet dreams.”

“You too, my knight.” She said with a wink.


	3. Promise of Destruction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Alya advocates for murder.

Marinette didn't get a lot of sleep that night. Images of what had happened nine years ago flooded her mind, making it impossible to rest. She wasn't relapsing, which was good, but she couldn't relax.

She got up and started working on Rose’s wedding dress alterations. A few hours went by and she yawned. Marinette finally managed to get to sleep around four A.M.

She was awaken by the smell of bacon. Still sleepy, she didn't move yet. She checked her phone only to see that it had died overnight. She'd plugged the phone in, but not the charger. “Aw, fuck.” She muttered.

Marinette jumped when there was a loud crash and scream outside. “God fucking damn it, Plagg! You are such a fucking asshole!” Adrien shouted. Marinette pulled herself out of bed with a sigh. “I swear to God, if you don't stop standing under my fucking feet, one of these days I'm going to accidentally step on your foot and break it! Is that what you want?”

“Dude, calm down, he's just a cat.” Marinette said.

Adrien looked up. “I'm sorry! I broke one of your plates!” He apologized.

She laughed. “My parents gave me these plates when I moved out. They're, like, fifteen years old.” She helped him pick up the pieces. “I broke three of them last week.” When they found all the pieces, Marinette used her telekinesis to fuse them back together. “I should probably just order some new ones.”

“I still feel bad.”

“It's not really a big deal. Don't worry about it.” She said. She knew he was worried about it. “You made breakfast.”

“Don't get used to it. I hardly ever have breakfast when I'm at home. I'm just a little antsy and I needed something to do.” He explained.

Marinette noted that he was already dressed. He wore skinny jeans, a Jagged Stone tee shirt and a green and black striped shirt underneath. She, on the other hand, still hadn't changed out of her nightgown, which was white with pink roses and ladybugs. She blushed but tried to hide it. “Just a little antsy? You just screamed at a cat for standing under your feet. Like cats do.”

“I swear to God this cat exists just to cause me misery.”

“You named him Plague. What did you expect?” He laughed. She laughed with him. They got plates out and started to eat. “So,” she said as they ate. “What are we going to do about your dad?”

His mouth twisted. “I don't know.” He admitted.

“The way I see it, our options are limited. We either try to help the police capture him again, we wait for him to kill me or we call someone.” She sighed. “None of these are good ideas.”

“Shouldn't we start with the police?”

“Yes, but few freaks end up with jobs in law enforcement. I only know Sabrina. That means he could control them.” She argued. “Your dad could turn them against us, and it definitely means that he’ll escape again later on.”

He sighed. She was right, as much as he hated to admit it. “Who could we call?”

“He's a freak like us, so it would have to be another freak.”

“So, what, a superhero? There aren't many superheroes in France.” Adrien argued.

Marinette shrugged. “I don't know. It isn't like we can call the Avengers or the Justice League or whoever.”

“So who?”

“Um. Volpina?” She suggested.

“She's in Italy.”

“She could come to Paris.”

“Why would she?”

“I read somewhere that she does mercenary work.”

Adrien sighed. “Even if that's true, why would we want a mercenary on our side?”

A knock came to the door. Marinette answered it. It was Alya. Her hair was down, now hanging around her elbows, and she was wearing her glasses. She wore a red flannel and skinny jeans. She frowned when she saw Marinette. “Oh, Mari! How are you feeling?”

“I'm doing alright, all things considered.” Marinette smiled. She moved so Alya could come inside.

“I spoke to Adrien yesterday and he said that he was going to tell you about Manon. Did he?” She asked as she took off her shoes.

“Yeah. Actually--”

“I'm so sorry you had to deal with him. I volunteered but he told me to finish the story.” She said. Marinette tried to speak but Alya kept talking. “I did not want to call him. I don't trust him and I'm not convinced that he's as innocent as he claims.” She rounded the corner to see Adrien sitting at the table.

“Alya, you remember Adrien. From yesterday.” Marinette said.

“If this is an issue, I can go.” Adrien stated.

“Stay. Please.” Marinette said.

“What are you doing here?” Alya asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Marinette placed a hand on her shoulder. “I asked him to stay here. I felt that it would be better if we stuck together.”

“Are you sure that's a good idea? What if Gabriel finds out that you're staying together?” She demanded.

“Well, then we’re twice as powerful if he tries to take us on.” Marinette said. She sat down at the table. “There’s some toast and bacon left if you're interested.”

She grabbed a piece of toast and sat down. “What are you planning to do about Gabriel?”

“We considered helping the police but they might not actually help us much.” Adrien said.

“Our only other option is to call in someone who can't fall victim to him, but we can't think of someone who would help us.”

Alya thought for a second. “What about Volpina?”

Adrien leaned forward. “What is it with the two of you and Volpina?” He asked. “What even are her powers? Does she have any or does she just shoot people? What are her credentials?”

Marinette giggled. Alya frowned but considered this. “Well, the only other thing we could do is start our own superhero team!”

“We?” Adrien asked.

Marinette burst out laughing. “Oh, and what a mighty superhero I will be! My domain will stretch to the entirety of this two bedroom apartment, and my enemies will be the gruesome dust bunnies under my bed and the fearsome spiders that live behind my refrigerator!” She joked loudly, motioning around her apartment.

“Come on, Marinette!” Alya pleaded. “There is a reason your name in my phone is ‘Overpowered’!”

“Alya, I don’t intend to leave my apartment any time soon.” She said, picking up the dishes and bringing them over to the sink. She started to wash them.

“Marinette.” Alya stood and walked over to her. “You’re a good person. And you’re strong. If anyone can be a hero, it’s you.”

“Why? Because of what I experienced nine years ago?” She muttered. “I’m not a better person because I’m broken, Alya! I’m broken!” She shouted. “How can you ask me to fight the man who broke me?”

“You won’t be alone--” She argued.

“You think that you or anyone else being there is going to help me? Do you think putting a bullet in his head is going to make me feel safe?” She screamed. “Killing my monster isn’t going to give me closure!”

Alya frowned and folded her arms across her chest. She stared at Adrien. “Well?”

He flinched. “Well what?”

“Are you going to step up? He's your dad, and you want to be the hero!” She demanded.

“Marinette is right. Killing him won't solve this. It isn't up to us who lives and dies.” He argued.

Marinette smiled approvingly. Alya’s nose wrinkled. “So that's it? You aren't going to do anything? You're just going to hope that he gets captured again and that next time he doesn't escape?” She spun around and shoved Marinette. “What if he escapes? What if next time he does, you have families?”

“We’re obviously not saying do nothing, Alya.” Marinette said. “But I'm pretty useless in here and Adrien can't take him on by himself. We have to find people to help us.”

“But you can't think of anyone to do that.” She said. Marinette didn't say anything. Alya walked over to Adrien and got close to his face. “Please, Adrien. You know how dangerous he is.”

He shook his head. “I don't want to take the risk of becoming him if I kill him.” He trembled. “What if I enjoy it when I kill him?”

“Then you're probably enjoying the death of the serial killer Pale! Who wouldn't?” She said. Her phone buzzed. She looked at it. “Oh, no. Sorry. There's a fire downtown. I've got to go.” She ran for the door. “Murder! Think about it!”

“Sorry about Alya. Thanks for taking my side, though.” She went into her bedroom and changed. When she came back, she turned on the TV and started working on Rose’s wedding dress again. At the same time, Adrien got a phone call. “You sure are popular. I don’t remember you ever getting this many calls.”

“I turn my phone off when I come over.” He said. He walked out into the hall. “This is Adrien Félix.”

“You sound so much older now. At least it isn't your father’s voice.” A woman said. “This is Nathalie Sancoeur.”

“Nathalie?” He breathed. He looked through the door to Marinette’s apartment. She was staring at him. He closed the door. “You never told me that you pushed Marinette down the stairs.”

“I know. I am so sorry. I was under the persuasion of your father. You know how powerful he is.” She said. “But, to be fair, I didn’t tell you about a lot of things. Namely, that she was in the attic. And I regret that I was told that I could not. I wish I had been stronger, for you and for her.”

“Why did you call me?” He asked. “Did it occur to you that I might not want to speak with you?”

“If that were true, you wouldn’t have written me so many letters.” She argued. “I kept all of them, by the way.”

“Nathalie. Why did you call me?”

“I trust by now that you know your father is out of prison?”

“Escaped, yes.”

“Then you know that you are in grave danger. And so will I, if he learns that I am going to tell you this.” She took a deep breath. “I know his weakness. But it isn’t safe to tell you over the phone. Do you know where I’m staying?”

“You were in Rennes, for a while. But I didn’t hear the automated voice saying you were still there, so I guess you got out.”

“Yes, two years ago.” She paused. “I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

Adrien sighed. “I didn’t follow the investigation of you or the Gorilla very closely.”

“Yes. Well, ‘the Gorilla’ is still in prison.” Nathalie said. “I’m still in Rennes.”

“How do I know that this isn’t a trap?”

“Because I am going to tell you how to kill your father, for one.” She said, “And two, if you come, I’ll tell you where your mother is.”

This gave him reason to pause. For the longest time, he had believed that his father had killed his mother. After all, he was a serial killer. But he never had any proof, and he had always wondered if she was still alive. “I don't want to kill him. And it's not that simple. I’m staying with Marinette. She’s still traumatized; I can’t just leave her alone with my father on the loose.”

“You should bring her. There are many things I wish to apologize for in person.”

“She’s too afraid to leave her apartment.”

“Yes, well, this complicates things. Convincing her to leave would be most beneficial.”

“She doesn’t want to leave. Could you just come here?”

Nathalie was quiet for a while. “I’ll do my best. I will talk to you soon.” She hung up.

He looked at his phone. He added Nathalie’s number to his contact list under the name ‘Brianna Noël.’ Then he went back inside. Marinette was waiting for him. “Was that Nathalie Sancoeur?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. “Yes, it was. She says that she knows how to stop my father, and where my mother is.”

“What did you say?”

“She wanted me to go to Rennes, but I told her that I wasn’t going to leave you here on your own. So I guess she might come to Paris.”

Marinette frowned. “How do you know that it isn’t a trap?”

“I don’t, but her phone number does confirm that she at least lived in Rennes at some point.” He said. “And asking her to come here puts her on our playing field, not hers.”

“Why did you even want to see her?”

“She’s got information that we need. Besides, after my mom left us, she really did take care of me.”

Marinette leaned back and sighed. “It’s hard for me to think about her outside of the role of his accomplice. But I remember that she was usually taking care of me.” She was quiet for a moment. “It’s weird thinking that she had a life outside of that.”

“I imagine that it would be. I have a hard time picturing her being an accomplice, though she claims that he was controlling her.”

“That makes sense. It would be hard to find a team so large that would be willing to help without some form of control.” She admitted. She sighed and grew very quiet.

“What’s on your mind?” Adrien asked, sitting next to her.

“The same thing that is always on my mind.” She said. “How have you been holding up?”

\---

-EIGHT YEARS AGO-

Nino had convinced his mom to let Adrien stay with them. Adrien was still on probation and was frequently bouncing between foster homes. They hadn't had any success finding his mother, who was the only family he had left.

Nino went up to the bedroom he and Adrien were sharing. Before he opened the door, he heard Adrien crying. He pushed open the door and looked inside. He was sitting at the desk, holding his head in his hands. “Hey, man, are you alright?”

Adrien shot up and turned around. Papers slid off the table. “Nino!” He exclaimed. He dried his eyes. “I'm sorry. I'm a little overwhelmed right now.”

“Hey man, don't apologize for expressing your feelings.” Nino reassured him. “You've been through a lot. It's only natural.”

Adrien sighed and looked at the papers. He was doing his homework, but hidden among them was a tear-stained photo strip of him and Marinette. “I don't have any right to wallow in self pity. She suffered worse than me.”

“That doesn't mean you can't regret your own suffering.” He said. Nino noticed the scars on his arm. Some looked fresh. “Adrien.” He said.

“Yeah?”

Nino changed his mind. He didn't want to talk about it. “What's really keeping you from talking about your trauma?”

He thought about this. “I'm in love with Marinette.” He laughed bitterly.

“Dude, every guy in our class has had a crush on Marinette at some point. It'll pass.”

“It's not a crush, Nino. I’ve felt like this for almost two years.” He argued. “And now, our relationship has fundamentally changed. And she’s got to live every day of her life reminded of what my father did to her. Any hope we had of being together is lost. I lost her. And everyone keeps saying that I saved her, but I didn’t.”

“Is that what you’re upset about?”

“No! She was there, she was right over my head and I didn’t even know she was there!” He screamed. “I was ready to kill myself! I was prepared to die because she wasn’t there!” He covered his face with his hands. “I tried to! I tried to kill myself! Nino! I am so fucked up!”

Nino pulled on Adrien’s arm and brought him in for a hug. “That’s right. Go ahead and cry, dude.” He shrugged. “I’ve tried to off myself, too. Even managed to do it once or twice. Problem is, I’m one of those freaks. I can regenerate so long as my brain is intact.”

Adrien wiped tears from his eyes. “I destroy everything that I touch.” He said with a forced grin.

“May not want to tell your girlfriend that.” Nino joked. “Or maybe you should. Who knows? She might be into that.” Adrien laughed, honestly this time, and Nino grinned.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“I’m not all that great at talking about myself.” Adrien said.

“You’re still awfully troubled, though. What’s on your mind?” Marinette grinned, knowing that she’d turned his words on him.

He sighed. “Marinette.” He looked away. “I’m sure you’ve realized that I’ve suffered from depression for a very long time.”

“Yes?”

“It’s gotten worse over the past few years. It got to the point where I was hospitalized around Christmas last year. I was hospitalized again in February.” He looked up at her. She was staring at him in shock. “See? That face. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you!”

“Adrien, why do you want to die?”

He rubbed his eyes. “I don’t want to die, Marinette. I just want to stop existing. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

“Do what?”

He motioned wildly with his arms. “This! Life! Existence! Everything!” He went limp. “I don't know if you've noticed, Marinette, but existing is exhausting!”

She moved closer to him. Nervous, he sat up straight. Marinette leaned against him and hugged him. “Adrien, I am so sorry that you have to experience this alone.” She said. “I know how you feel. And I want you to know that I'm here for you, whenever you need me.”

He looked down at her. “You shouldn't feel bad for me. You shouldn't be the one helping me through this.” He said, pulling her closer. “You're still suffering too.”

“Nobody asks to suffer, Adrien. My suffering isn't better or worse than your own.” She smiled and looked up at him. “But I think we’ve talked enough about my suffering.” She snuggled close to his chest.

His blush was intense. At that moment, his phone rang. “Not again.” He said. He looked at it. It was the Warden Belrose. “Oh. No, this is important.” He answered it and put it on speaker. “Warden Belrose?”

“Hello, Adrien.” His father said. Marinette gasped, and Adrien fumbled for his phone. “Aw, my sweet Marinette. You are there, too. Perfect.”

“What do you want?” Marinette shouted as Adrien grabbed the phone. She grabbed his shoulder and shook her head.

“I think you know what I want, Marinette.” Gabriel said. “I want you.” Adrien looked at Marinette. She shook her head again, but her entire body was quaking. “And when I get you, I'm going to finish what I started nine years ago.”

“Fuck you!” Adrien spat.

“You're too much like your mother, Adrien. Too emotional. Too stubborn. You want so desperately to be a hero.” He said. “Where has that gotten you? A lonely house and a life of solitude? Frequent trips to the E.R?” His voice grew deeper and more intimidating. “You betrayed me.”

“I didn't betray you! You're a fucking serial killer! You tortured, raped and murdered teenage girls!” Adrien screamed.

“You betrayed me by putting me in prison, Adrien! And when I find the two of you, I will make you watch everything I do to her!”

Marinette was sobbing now. Adrien looked at her, obviously angered. “I'm going to kill you!” He screamed into the phone. “I'm going to fucking kill you if you even get close to her!”

“Bloodlust. Good. It's nice to see part of me will live on in you, Adrien. It's good that we’re more alike than you want to believe.” He chuckled. “And now, I'm afraid it's time for me to leave. But before I go, you should know that I'm taking no pleasure in what I'm about to do.”

Adrien blinked. Marinette reacted first. “Adrien, hang up the phone.” He hesitated. “Adrien, hang up the phone!” She shouted seconds before they heard a gunshot. She recoiled, and his jaw dropped. Adrien immediately hung up.

Marinette couldn't control her sobbing. She was trembling, and her body was curled up so it was small. She buried her face into her legs and pulled at her hair. Adrien couldn't move. He was having a hard time breathing, and his skin was ice cold. He couldn't quite ground himself in reality, and his heart was racing.

“God! Why? Why is this happening to us?” Marinette sobbed. He couldn't speak to answer her. They'd just heard someone be murdered over the phone.

His father’s words floated through his mind. ‘It's nice to see a part of me will live on in you.’ He hadn't threatened to hurt him, only Marinette. His father had plans to torture him. But not to kill him.

Marinette ran into her bedroom and slammed the door. The loud sound jerked him back to reality. Adrien stood but fell back to the ground. Was he going crazy? Was he becoming like his father?

He tried to calm himself down. He bit his lip and stared at the ceiling trying not to cry.

\---

-EIGHT YEARS AGO-

It was April 17th. Adrien had been off probation for about a month, but he couldn't help but remember what had happened a year ago.

Classes had changed since then. He and Marinette were in the same class again. They shared a class with Alya and Chloé Bourgeois, who were both still bitter about the Pale case. Albeit for completely different reasons.

Adrien and Alya were on Marinette's side. But Chloé claimed to be on Adrien's side. Adrien didn't have a side, though. Not in his mind. He felt Chloé was on his father’s side. It had shattered their already fragile friendship, and Chloé blamed Marinette for that.

In her mind, Chloé felt she was just. Adrien had quit modeling, and the Gabriel line no longer made clothes. But by no stretch of the imagination was she just in her actions.

She entered the room. She sat in the second row on the left. She glared at Adrien, who refused to acknowledge her. Alya, who sat in the same seat she had the year before, stuck her tongue out at Chloé.

Class was about to start when Marinette walked in. In the near year she had lived with her suffering, she'd gotten very good at walking with her prosthetic leg. In fact, it usually just looked like she had a slight limp most of the time.

Whenever Adrien or Marinette entered the class, a hush fell over it. Today was no different, but it seemed to bother her more. She walked up to her seat next to Alya, and she got out her tablet. Adrien offered her an encouraging smile, which she returned half heartedly.

Chloé stood and walked over to her. “Well, look who decided to show her face.”

Marinette covered her head with her hands. “Chloé, not today. Please.” She begged.

“Why not today? After all, today is the anniversary of the day you ruined the life of the best designer in France!” She said. Adrien clutched his pencil, accidentally destroying it. He said nothing. “Did you ever apologize for it? For ruining their lives?”

“Chloé, please. Go away.” She warned.

“Or what? You'll trick some poor boy into testifying against my papa and having him thrown in prison?” She mocked. “No one believes a slut that cries wolf!”

Adrien spun around to tell her off. He turned just in time to watch Marinette slap Chloé across the face with her prosthetic leg.

While he was pretty sure you weren't supposed to do that with prosthetics, it was pretty badass to see.

Marinette tackled Chloé in her stunned state and started to punch her. The entire class was watching them now. “Yes! Revenge!” Alya cheered. This prompted many other students to cheer, most for Marinette but some for Chloé.

After about forty seconds, Marinette realized what she was doing. She fell off of Chloé and reattached her prosthetic. She gathered her things and ran out of class. Adrien grabbed his bag and followed her. He was told that Alya had finished what she'd started, and had been suspended for two weeks.

“Marinette! Marinette, wait for me!” Adrien called after her. She stopped and turned. “Marinette, are you alright? You just went crazy! I mean, Chloé deserved it, but that was so unlike you.”

She dropped her things and burst into tears. She ran into his arms and cried. He held her close. He rubbed her back gently to comfort her. “I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for everything I did!”

“You didn't do anything, Marinette. Nothing that happened was your fault.” He reassured her. “Do you hear me? Nothing.” She kept crying.

“I'm such a mess! I can't even think straight! All I see is him, all the time, everywhere!” She sobbed.

Adrien was quiet. He didn't know what he could say. “Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we skip school today and do something you've wanted to do?”

She was quiet. She rubbed her eyes and picked up her things. “There's something I've been meaning to do, but haven't. It isn't fun, though.”

He shrugged. “Doesn't have to be.”

She smiled. They went over to the bakery and into the house attached. Marinette got gasoline out of the downstairs closet before they went upstairs. She then grabbed a large metal bowl and matches before they climbed up into her bedroom.

“What are we doing with this stuff?” He asked. “Don't answer that. Burning something.” He said. She giggled.

She dug around under her bed. She pulled out the clothes she’d been wearing the night she was kidnapped. “I'm never going to wear them again. I don't even want to see them.”

“I understand.” He nodded. He motioned to the balcony. They went outside, and Marinette threw her clothes into the bowl. Adrien carefully poured gasoline on them. They took a few steps back before he lit the match and threw it into the bowl.

They sat down and watched the clothes burn. “You know, I've found it hard to be happy lately. I think I'm still stuck there.” She said.

“It was hard, what you experienced.” He sympathized.

“I thought that pretending it didn't happen would solve my problems. But it didn't. It happened, and everyone knows it. People either see me as this helpless victim or as the girl who ended an empire.”

“Who do you want to be?”

She was quiet for a long time. “I want to be me again.”


	4. Cope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette reverts back to being awkward.

It was a few hours until sunset. Both Adrien and Marinette had gone into their rooms. They were still trying to wrap their heads around what they'd heard. Adrien finally decided that he should take a shower. He got out some things he'd packed. After a moment, he palmed the razor blade.

He knocked on Marinette's door. “Marinette, do you mind if I use your shower?”

“You're going to be living here for four months. I hope you use it.” She replied through the door.

“I didn't know if you wanted to use it first, or if you had private things in your bathroom. I know I do.” He paused. “Did I lock my door? Yes.”

“Uh, no, I don't think I have anything private in there. Nothing you wouldn't expect a girl’s bathroom to have, at least.” She said. “Just try not to knock anything over.”

“Yes, because of the two of us, I'm the clumsy one.” He said sarcastically.

“Oh, hardy-har. That's so funny I forgot to laugh.”

He chuckled and walked away. Marinette put in her headphones and listened to music for a while. When she took them out, she couldn't hear the water running, so she got up and went into the living room.

She looked at Juleka’s wedding dress. She decided that she wasn't going to bring it up, and instead started working on making the sleeves more comfortable.

The bathroom door opened, and Marinette panicked. She ducked around the loveseat to hide. Adrien walked by, and Marinette turned ever so slightly to watch him.

It was the first time in her adult life she'd seen so much of him. Whenever she saw him, he always had long sleeves on. This meant she could see his self-harm scars, but also the tattoos. She didn't know he had them.

His right arm was completely tattooed. He had a night sky near his shoulder, complete with a moon and stars. It blended into a stormy sea. In the sea was a mermaid with dark hair and a red tail.

She blushed wildly. This confused her--since when did she have a thing for tattooed guys?

He opened his bedroom door when Plagg meowed. “Hey Plagg. I'll feed you in a second, alright?” He said. He bent over to pet the cat. His new position gave him a direct line of sight to Marinette's hiding spot. “Marinette?”

She shot up, her face on fire. “Adrien! Didn't see you there!” She said. “No, that's a lie. I saw tattoo. You. I saw you. And your tattoos.” She started stuttering. "Hot! In here. Is it? You.”

“I don't understand what you're saying.” He said.

“Tattoos!” She said.

“Are you broken?”

She stammered. “Just thinking! Super cool and also very texty! Bexley! Smexy! Fuck, that one is a word.” She covered her face in her hands. “Why is the m there?”

Adrien grinned. It was too good an opportunity. “The m stands for slope.”

“Slope! Yes! Rise over run!” She nodded. “As in, you're rising!” No, she shouldn't have said that. “And I'm running.” She dashed into the bedroom and slammed her door.

As she leaned against the door, she sighed. So this is how she died. Not from knife in her heart but from embarrassment in her bedroom. She unwittingly let out a loud scream of frustration.

Adrien didn't say anything for a minute. “Yeah, you let me know when you can talk like a human again.” He said.

\---

The next morning was incredibly awkward. Marinette overslept, but still found she was awake earlier than Adrien. She made pancakes, but burned every other one. When Adrien joined her, it looked like he hadn't slept much. They locked eyes. She blushed and looked away. He sat down at the table and put his head down.

Marinette put pancakes in front of him. He didn't move, so she started to eat without him. His phone rang. “How much is your cell phone bill?” She asked.

He didn't move for a moment. Eventually he sat up and answered it. “What?” He asked.

“Adrien, this is Nathalie Sancoeur. Did you hear the news?”

“If you mean, ‘did you hear that your father murdered Warden Belrose’, yes, I heard. He made us listen.” Adrien said. He forced himself to sit up.

“Is Marinette still with you?”

“Yes, she's here.”

“Put me on speaker, please.”

Adrien looked at Marinette and grimaced. He put his phone down and hit speaker. “Go.” He said.

Nathalie wasted no time. “I am coming to Paris. I would have left last night, but I had to compensate for an additional person.” She explained. “I need to explain to you how to use what I'm going to give you. Do you want me to go to Marinette's home or should we meet somewhere else?”

“Hold on, Nathalie.” Adrien said. He put her on hold. “What do you want to do?”

“I don't mind her coming here if she promises not to stay long.” Marinette said after a moment.

He nodded and took her off hold. “Nathalie? I’m going to tell you Marinette’s address, alright? If you have to write it somewhere, get rid of it as soon as you can.” He recited her address to her.

“I understand. I will tell you when I am almost there.”

Nathalie hung up. Adrien and Marinette were quiet for a long time. Then they looked at each other. “So about last night.” They said at the same time.

She laughed awkwardly. “I don’t know if you guessed, but I’m not really used to having guys around. Sometimes men will come in to get their pants hemmed or whatever but they don’t usually stay.”

Adrien’s eyes were wide. “I cut myself in your shower last night and now I feel really guilty.” He admitted. Marinette recoiled, not having expected that. “Also, around midnight last night I heard your next door neighbor’s wife scream so I went to investigate and it turns out that they’re into BDSM. So if they come over today really mad, tell them I am very sorry.” He frowned. “Also, do you have a pair of headphones I can borrow? They’re really loud and I am not about that life.”

She couldn’t speak for a moment. “Ok, we’re going to come back to the BDSM neighbors in a second.” She said. “What made you cut yourself last night?”

He thought for a moment. “It’s what he said to me, right before he shot Belrose.” He muttered. “He said a part of him will live on in me. Because I shouted that I wanted to kill him.” He trembled. “That he’ll live on in my bloodlust.”

“You were angry. You don’t want to kill him.” She reasoned. “We all say things we don’t mean to when we’re angry, Adrien. I haven’t seen you this mad since the trial.”

He couldn’t stop shaking. “But I meant it. I did. If he’d been in reach at that moment, I would have ripped him to pieces with my own hands.”

“That doesn’t make you a bad person. Just angry.” She said. She reached over and rubbed his hand with her thumb. Adrien looked up at her. Marinette was smiling. It was kind and warm. It had been a while since he had seen it.

Adrien smiled back. “Thank you, Marinette.” His smile vanished as he looked down. He ran his fingers through his hair and then sat up straight with a grin. “So, am I to assume that you think my tattoo is sexy?”

Marinette blushed. She covered her mouth with her hand. “I’m not used to seeing you without sleeves. Surely you must know that you are incredibly attractive.” She waved him off despite the red in her cheeks. “Your tattoos are just very well done and I kind of want to touch them. But I’m not going to, since I remember how sensitive you are about your arms.”

He laughed. He rolled up his sleeve to show her the tattoo. She could see the colors and shapes in the tattoo now. It looked exactly like a photo from far away, but up close she could see the hard work that went into it. “It was my own sort of a rebellion when I got it. The photographers could photoshop out old scars, but a whole tattoo? That wouldn’t look natural.” He shrugged. “Father was always opposed to tattoos. ‘What will they look like when you’re eighty?’” Adrien chuckled. “Well, I don’t think I’ll make it to eighty but if I do I’m going to look totally punk rock.”

Marinette laughed. “Rebellious in college, were we?” She teased.

“A bit. I didn’t really get a chance to be a rebel when I was in high school.” He said. Adrien moved his arm closer to her.

She hesitated. Her fingertips brushed against the ink, and for a moment she pulled away. She ran her fingers over his tattoo. She could feel where the ink was heavier, like grooves on his skin. She could feel her heart rate pick up. Marinette pulled her hand away reluctantly, a shy smile on her face.

She stood up. “You should eat.”

“Thank you, but I'm not really hungry.” He said.

“If not pancakes, fruit. Eat something.” She washed her plate, and Adrien started eating. Marinette walked past him and gently touched his shoulder. He looked up at her. Blushing, she covered. “BDSM? Really? Are we talking softcore or…?”

“Oh, fuck no. Their bedroom is like a dungeon.” Adrien said with a grimace. She rolled her eyes and walked away.

Marinette got into the shower, and Adrien washed his plate. He fed Plagg and then dressed. He looked at his scars. They were dark red, having scabbed up overnight. They were sensitive to the touch. Adrien looked at his tattoo and smiled. He'd never regretted it, but didn't often get a chance to show it off.

\---

-SIX YEARS AGO-

Adrien looked at his tattoo while sitting in a booth at a bar. It was just the lines and the shadows at this point. He was going to get the color in a few months.

“Cool ink. Mind if I sit?” A woman asked. He looked up. It was Juleka. She wore a black babydoll dress and a leather jacket. Her hair was dyed bright red and cropped short.

He smiled at her. “Sure.” Juleka sat down and smiled back. “What are you doing here?”

“Are you kidding? This is ‘the Black Chain’. It's only the best goth bar in the city.” She said. “It's no wonder why I'm here. You're the odd one out tonight.” She shrugged. “For a change.”

“I just wanted to get away from the world for a while. Besides, most of the people here don't flirt with me.” He shrugged. “Buy you a drink?”

“Something spooky.” She said. He nodded. He came back a few minutes later with two goblets. “Isn't this place great?”

“It looks like blood.” Adrien said.

“How do you know that it isn't?”

“Because it smells like Kool-Aid mixed with vodka.” They laughed. “How have you been? It's been a while.”

Juleka shrugged. “Fine, I guess. School was a drag but chemistry is fun. Might be one of those when I'm grown.” She leaned forward, covering the top of her goblet. “But I might also be one of those people who turns actors into monsters?”

“You've had one sip of whatever this is. Are you already drunk?” Adrien asked.

“I was drunk before I got here.” She said flatly. “Have you seen Marinette lately?”

He paused. They'd hung out earlier in the year, but things were getting harder. Marinette was still seventeen, so she couldn't go to bars with him. She was also getting ready to go to China for a few months to stay with her great uncle. They never really learned how to interact with each other, resulting in more fights. “She's doing better.” He lied.

“What are you going to study?” She asked.

“I haven't decided. I'm not really sure where I could go and not be recognized.” He said.

“How about something boring? Like accounting? Are you good with numbers?” She asked.

“Yeah. Yeah, I could do that.” They toasted and tossed back their drinks.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien’s phone rang. He answered it. “Hello?”

“I'm a few minutes away. Are you ready?” Nathalie asked.

He sighed. “I'm ready to hear it. But am I ready to kill my father? I don't know.” He sat down and looked at himself in the mirror. “Nathalie, why do you know where my mother is? She's not… dead, is she?”

“No, I'm fairly certain your mother is alive.” She said. “She was close with my older sister Nicole. When Nicole died, she spoke to me. I promised to take care of you, and she left.”

“Why didn't she take me with her?”

“Out of fear, I suppose. Your father loved her, but he is genuinely unkind.” Nathalie explained. “What brought this on, Adrien?”

“My father said that he'll live on in me. Because of our shared bloodlust.” He said. “Marinette told me it was a taunt, and I'm feeling better, but I worry. I worry that I'll become him.”

Nathalie didn't seem bothered by the news. “If you shared your father's apathy for human suffering, it would have surfaced by now. But that's not to say that you are like your mother.” She said. “Children aren't just the split DNA of their parents, Adrien. You aren't one half your father and one half your mother. You are your own person.”

Adrien smiled. “Thank you. I'll see you soon.” He hung up. He walked out into the living room. Marinette was working, as she usually was. She seemed distracted. “Are you feeling alright?” Adrien asked.

“I worry that Nathalie is working with your dad.” She said. “But I hope that it's just existential dread instead of foreshadowing.”

He understood. He looked at Rose’s dress. It was complete, finally. She had wrapped the ribbon around as a bow. It fit Rose’s personality well. “The dress you made is beautiful. They both are.”

“Thank you. I'm doing my best.” She said. A knock came to the door. She shivered. “Would you mind getting that?”

Adrien nodded. He walked over to the door and opened it. Nathalie Sancoeur stood in the doorway. Her hair was dark, but her bangs were starting to grey. She wore a professional pantsuit and a red turtleneck. She carried two tiny jewelry boxes. “Hello Adrien. It has been a long time.” She said. “You've gotten a lot taller.”

Adrien hugged her. She hugged him back, though it was more reserved. He looked around, and seeing no one else, he invited her inside. “How was your trip?”

“It went faster than I thought it would. Time flies when you're afraid for your life.” Nathalie said. Marinette was watching her. Nathalie saw this and frowned sadly. She pushed her bangs back and looked at Adrien with her stony expression. “Have you been living together for long?”

“No, only for a few days. Safety in numbers.” Adrien said. He looked at Marinette. She was obviously uncomfortable.

She nodded. She nervously looked at Marinette. “How is your leg doing?” She asked. Adrien sighed.

“Fine, after they cut it off and gave me a prosthetic one. How's the weight of my soul been on your back?” Marinette spat.

Nathalie straightened her back. “I walked into that.” She said as she sat down. Adrien sat and motioned for Marinette to join him. “I didn't come to exchange pleasantries. I came to give you information.” She took a deep breath. “Your father was working on ways to make himself more powerful. He seeks to control freaks.”

“That's impossible. Freaks have mental shields to prevent mind control.” Marinette said.

“But he, too, is a freak. He was close to accomplishing his goal when he had you, Marinette.” She said. “He has problems with time and distance. Eventually, if he doesn't see you again, his spell will wear off.”

“That's not helpful. Obviously it'll wear off.” She protested.

Nathalie nodded. “But Warden Belrose was a freak. He took control of his mind and forced him to call you.” She explained. “That means he did it. If you go up against him, you won't stand a chance.”

“Nathalie, please. How does this help us?” Adrien asked.

She presented them with the boxes. “Your mother taught me to make these. They're called Dragon Auras.” She said. “Go on. Open them.”

They did as they were told. Inside the boxes were necklaces. The pendant on the necklaces was shaped like a dragon. The dragon wrapped around a piece of quartz. “They don't look too special.” Adrien said.

“Hold your hand over the dragon like this.” Nathalie explained. She demonstrated with her own necklace. Marinette and Adrien mimicked her hand position. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, out of nowhere, the dragons on the pendants bit their hands.

Marinette yelped, but Adrien flinched. “Ow! What the fuck?” She screamed.

“Look at the quartz.” Nathalie said. They did. The stone first turned blood red but changed colors. Marinette's turned bright red and pale pink, swirling around like an ocean. Adrien's shifted between colors like the auroras. “When you are in possession of the Dragon Aura that has your blood, you cannot be controlled by anyone. Not even Gabriel Agreste.”

Adrien nodded, and he watched as the dragon curled back around the stone. “Wait. How do you get the dragon to let go?” Marinette asked.

He looked over at her. It was still biting her hand. “You just have to relax.” He said. She sighed and stared intensely at it. “Marinette, relax.”

“I'm trying.” She hissed as she pulled on the dragon.

“Oh, no. Don't pull on it.” Nathalie said. “And be careful not to let anyone take these from you. If they can get a hold of them, it won't matter if they have the ability or not. They'll be able to control you. A double edged sword.”

“Marinette, you have to relax!” Adrien yelled.

She started to panic. “I'm not going to be able to relax with you shouting at me!”

Adrien sighed. Nathalie handed him an envelope. He opened it. Inside was an address in Baden-Baden, Germany. “That was the only clue as to where your mother went. This address.” She sighed. “I looked it up. It's not her residence. It's a travel agency.”

“Still. It helps. Thank you.” Adrien said. “I hope that she's alright.”

“Your mother is resourceful. She will have found some way to survive.” Nathalie said.

Adrien thought for a moment as he looked at the envelope. “How do we stop my father?”

“You have to kill him, Adrien. It isn’t really up for debate.”

“There has to be another way.”

Nathalie sighed. She dug around in her briefcase. She revealed a pair of silver scissors. She placed them silently on the coffee table. “What is this?” Marinette asked, picking them up with her free hand.

“You want him to suffer instead of killing him?” Nathalie asked. “You want him to never hurt anyone for as long as he lives?” Her eyes flashed with an intensity Adrien didn’t typically associate with her. “Then cut his tongue out.”

“Oh my God, that is super gross!” Marinette said, dropping the scissors.

Adrien looked at her. “So our choices are murder or torture?”

“Those are the only things he left you with.” She stood and started to walk away. “I don't wish to overstay my welcome. Good luck with all of your endeavors.”

“That's it? You're just going to give us all this and then walk out?” He protested.

She nodded. Nathalie looked at Marinette. “I am truly sorry for the suffering that I caused you. I couldn't control what I did. I've tried to make things better, but I know it won't change anything.”

Marinette grunted nonspecifically. “I figured you were. You seem like the kind of person who tries to help, in your own way.” She looked up. “But you're right. It doesn't really change much, does it?”

Nathalie nodded. It was likely that was as close to forgiveness she would get. She left the apartment without another word. Adrien locked the door after she left. “Marinette, I'm being serious. Relax and it'll let go.”

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The dragon let go, and she was visibly comforted by that. “That was so unbelievably nerve-wracking!” She said. She blushed. “I’m sorry I doubted you.”

“Well, we aren’t quite out of the woods. This could still come back to haunt us.” He admitted.


	5. Do or Die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which students are more interested in Marinette's foot than her safety.

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Class was about to begin. The trials were over, and Gabriel Agreste was put in prison. He was sentenced to life plus thirty years, so he had no chance of parole. Adrien had eleven months of probation, which was considerably longer than he thought he’d get when he signed the deal. Still, he didn’t regret it. He was sitting quietly, Nino chatting his ear off.

He looked up when he caught sight of Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng. Tom carried Marinette and Sabine carried her wheelchair. Adrien jumped up to open the door for them. They smiled at him, and Marinette waved. Tom and Sabine walked into the classroom, and when the students saw Marinette, they fell silent.

Tom carried Marinette to her seat and helped her into it. He walked down the steps to take the chair from Sabine, and then placed it next to her. “Alya, will you watch out for Marinette?” Tom asked.

“Yes, sir.” Alya said. She flipped through her notes as Marinette got her supplies out.

Tom and Sabine kissed her. “Have a good day, Marinette. We’ll see you when you get home. Call us if you need help.” Sabine said, hugging her.

“I will, Mom.” She said.

They walked down the steps. Tom rubbed Adrien’s head as they walked past him. “Hang in there, kiddo.” He said encouragingly.

There was a moment of silence. No one spoke but Alya, who was going over the notes. Then, everyone spoke at once.

“Marinette, are you okay?” Adrien asked.

“Marinette, how did you escape?” Ivan asked.

“Were you scared?” Myléne asked.

“Can I see your scars?” Juleka asked.

“What did he do with your foot?” Alix asked.

“Do you experience phantom limb pain, Marinette?” Max asked.

“Did you hit Gabriel Agreste?” Kim asked.

“Do you need anything, Marinette?” Nathanёal asked.

“How did you cut off your own foot?” Rose asked.

Juleka pointed at Rose. “That’s a good question.” She said. “Answer that.”

“No, Nathanёal is right.” Adrien said. “Do you need anything?”

“What about you? Do you need anything, Adrien?” Chloé asked.

“Fuck you, Chloé!” He shouted.

“Did you hit Gabriel Agreste?” Kim repeated.

“How did you escape?” Ivan said, louder.

“Did you escape by fighting?”

“Why are you so obsessed with whether or not she hit him?” Chloé asked.

“I want to know if she gave him what he deserves!” Kim explained.

“He’s in prison, Kim!” Sabrina pointed out.

“But is he missing any teeth?” He asked.

“Did he bury the foot in the yard?” Alix shouted suddenly.

Adrien grimaced. “Alix, I still have to live there! How am I supposed to sleep if I think her foot is buried somewhere in my yard?” The answer is that he didn’t. He came to school late the next day, exhausted and covered in dirt, only to say that her foot wasn’t buried in the yard.

“I…” Marinette said. The whole class quit bickering to stare at her. Her cheeks turned bright red. “I think that I need some air. Alya, can you help me?”

“Yeah, I’ve got your back, girl. Let’s go.” She looked first at Adrien, then at Ivan. “Ivan, can you help me get her down the stairs?” Ivan nodded. Alya carried the wheelchair while Ivan carried Marinette. They left the class moments before it started.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

A knock came to the door. Marinette answered it. It was Rose and Juleka, ready to pick up their dresses. Marinette shushed them. “Adrien is still asleep. Please keep it down.” Rose cringed, but she faked a smile. “Rose, the downside to having big anime eyes is they betray your every emotion. What’s up?” She said as she let them into her apartment.

“Why is he living here?” Rose asked.

“So, a few days ago, a bunch of felons broke out of prison. Do you remember?” She asked. They nodded. “Gabriel Agreste led it. Adrien is living with me until we get it all sorted out.”

“Oh no! You must be so scared!” She cried out. Juleka and Marinette quieted her. “Sorry.”

Marinette rubbed her arms. She looked over to his bedroom. “Yeah, I’m a little frightened. But I feel safer knowing he’s here.” She grinned at them. “But the dresses are done. Come and see!” They walked further inside and Marinette closed the door behind them. The dresses were complete with trains and veils. Rose was bouncing with glee, and Juleka was speechless. “Well, what do you think? Do you like them?”

“I adore them!” Rose said. She ran over to them and felt the detail. “Oh, Marinette! You are so talented!”

“Keep your voice down!” Marinette warned. “But thank you.” She motioned to her bedroom. “Okay, final fitting. Who wants to go first?”

Juleka paused. “You never let anyone into your bedroom.”

“But my workshop is now Adrien’s bedroom. So into the black hole we go.” She said, grabbing Juleka’s arm. She shoved her into the bedroom and dragged her dress with her.

Rose chuckled and sat down. She grabbed a scrapbook from her purse and flipped through the pages. “Rose, don’t freak out.” Adrien called as he walked into the living room. She lowered it and waved shyly. “What have you got there?”

“Oh, it’s just a scrapbook from when we were in high school.” She said. She offered it to him. Adrien hesitated, but he took it from her. He flipped through the pages. Some of the pictures went back before he started attending public school, but he was there for most of them. Very few included pictures after Marinette was kidnapped. There was their post-BAC party, and one of Adrien and Nino hanging out. There were fresh cuts on his arm and a scar around his neck.

“Oh. Thank you for showing me, Rose.” He said, closing it quickly. “But I don’t really like to reminisce on that point in my life.”

“Don’t be silly. No one looks back when they’re older and wishes they had fewer pictures of their friends when they were young.” Rose argued.

He offered a fake smile. He didn’t mind seeing smiling pictures of his friends. In fact, he liked most of the pictures. But it was hard seeing himself experiencing pain and suffering at such a young age, knowing now that his life hadn’t gotten much better. Rose was too sensitive, though. She’d try to make him feel better. The door opened. Juleka was still in her regular clothes, but she carried a dress bag. “Your turn, Rose. Good morning, Adrien.” Marinette said.

Rose and Juleka switched places. Juleka smiled at Adrien, who smiled back. “How do you like living with Marinette?” She asked.

“It’s been good, all things considered. Things are a little weird right now, because of my father, but we’re figuring things out.” He said. “It’s been nice, though. I forgot how much I liked spending time with her.”

“She said something similar.” Juleka said. She shrugged. “I always thought that it was sad to see the two of you drift apart. When your friendship first bloomed, it seemed like you were perfect for each other.”

He sighed. “I always thought we were. But things changed.”

“Not everything changed. You’ve loved her for a very long time. That has to count for something.” He blushed. Juleka laughed. “You’re really chatty when you’re drunk. Also, when you snore, you sort of sound like a cat.”

“You know, Juleka, I could live my whole life without knowing the things that you tell me,” he said, “but right now, I’ll just settle for you never explaining to me why you know I snore.” She giggled. The door opened and Rose stepped out with her dress. Marinette was on the phone. Whoever she was talking to was loud and very angry. She made signs at Rose, who wrote a check. “My, my. How the tables have turned.” He said. Marinette looked at him. He made the sign for telephone.

“Shut up.” She teased. “No, not you, Chloé! Although, if you could also shut up, that’d be great. It’s fine. I’ll fix it.” She paused. “A thousand euros. No, not seriously! Just bring it here.”

“Chloé?” Adrien mouthed. Marinette nodded. He groaned.

“Yes, I’ll see you soon. Oh, fuck you.” Marinette hung up. “Bitch.”

“Why is she coming here? You hate her!” Adrien asked.

“She’s shiny and dumb and easy to trick!” She said loudly. “I can fix her clothes in two minutes and she pays me at least five hundred euros every time! That’s stupid easy math!” It was. Four euros a second was really good money. Still, he wasn’t thrilled at the concept of seeing her.

Marinette sighed and started to put away the mannequins that had once modeled the wedding dresses. When she finished, she sat in the window and pulled her legs up. She stared out the window. “What's up?” He asked.

She twisted the chain her Dragon Aura was on. “I'm just thinking.” She said.

“About what?”

“Things. Juleka was asking about us.” She said. “She wanted to know if things were alright between us.”

He didn't say anything right away. “Are things alright between us?” He asked.

“I don't see why they wouldn't be. I mean, it's been almost a decade. And I never blamed you. You know that, right?”

“In my head, yeah. But I still can't shake the feeling that you do blame me.” Adrien said.

Marinette frowned. “I wish that you didn't think that. But I know that your depression prevents it.” Her phone rang. “Hold on, it's my parents.”

“Don't tell them I'm here.” Adrien said, sliding down to hide. He realized that it was silly to hide from people who couldn't see him, but he didn't move.

“My parents like you.” Marinette said. She answered her phone. “Hello? Hi, Mom. Is Dad there? Oh, hi, Dad.” She walked away from the window.

Adrien watched her. It was still strange to see her in her natural environment. She was acutely aware that he was there, but she'd adapted to living with him. She turned around, and Adrien pretended like he wasn't looking.

“Adrien? He's on vacation. Yeah, we’ve hung out more since he has some time off.” She said. She was quiet for a moment. Her eyes opened wider. “Hang on.” She put her parents on speaker so she could hear them as she looked at her phone. “I’m still here. How do you know that?”

Sabine’s voice echoed through the apartment. “You're our daughter, Marinette. It's our job to know things about you.”

“Yeah, but that's a little freaky.” She said. “I mean, you're right, but it's freaky.”

“What's freaky about knowing when you're ovulating?” Tom asked. Marinette panicked and fumbled for her phone. “After all, you lived with us most of your life. And as an adult woman, it's good to be in tune with your--”

“Dad, why would you just say something like that? Aren't there customers you have to deal with?” Marinette yelled.

“Well, not right now--” Tom said before Marinette took her phone off of speaker.

Her blush never went away as she kept speaking to her parents. “Well, I had you on speaker. Uh, no, there isn't anyone here. It's the principle of the matter, honestly.” She argued. She was quiet for a long time. “Yeah, I'm doing alright. Adrien and I are helping each other through it.” A knock came to the door. “Sorry, I have to go. I have a client.”

“What was that about?” Adrien asked.

“My parents are a little…” She paused as she walked for the door. “Well, you've met them.” She moved to answer the door and jumped when someone pounded on it. She took a few steps back. “Adrien?”

He stood and walked over to the door. The person on the other side kept pounding. The door was nearly coming off the hinges. “Marinette, do you have any weapons?” Adrien asked.

She looked like she was about to argue when she looked into her kitchen. Her eyes started to glow red. She held her hand out. The kitchen knives floated over to her. She took a deep breath as they circled behind her. “Take a knife.” She said.

He cringed. He took a knife, and the blades compensated for the space. Adrien watched her. He memorized the intensity on her face. “They may not breach the door.”

“Well, we can't stay like this forever.” She said. “We’ve only got a week until I'll need new groceries.”

Adrien considered this. “Stay here. I’ll take care of this.” He said.

“Adrien, it isn’t safe to just attack them head on. There’s bound to be more than one of them.” She argued.

“Any better ideas?” He asked. She didn’t say anything. “I didn’t think so. Stay safe.”

“Don’t take any risks!” She warned.

Adrien laughed. “With your life on the line, princess? Not a one.” He winked. She blushed.

Adrien stood with his hand on the door. He slowly unlocked it, and then started timing in his head. He signed for Marinette to move. When it was time for the next kick, Adrien opened the door. The kicker stumbled inside, and he slammed it shut again. The kicker was disoriented, and Marinette screamed. Adrien jumped onto him and started to choke him. Their attacker went down after about a minute and a half. “Is he dead?” Marinette asked.

“No, just knocked out.” He said. “Call the police. I’ll look around for more.” She nodded, and he walked out into the hallway. Adrien didn’t see anyone, but he didn’t relax. He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him.

In his mind, he saw a vision of Marinette falling off of a building. Adrien turned and started to go back inside. “Tenebris memoria!” Someone shouted. Adrien looked to the voice in time to watch black lightning strike him.

\---

-SIXTEEN YEARS AGO-

Adrien was playing in his yard. His mother had bought him some clothes that weren’t designer so he could play in the mud without his father getting angry. He was having fun lifting stones to dig in the earth underneath. He found a few bugs and worms, but he didn’t bother them. He rinsed his hands off in the pond so the dirt wouldn’t show up under his fingernails. As he was washing his hands, he heard a tiny, frightened meow. He looked around and found a calico kitten stuck in the tree.

“Oh, poor kitty!” Adrien said. He climbed the tree and rescued her. He held her gently in his hands, calming her and telling her that she was very pretty. He ran inside the house with the cat, hoping to keep her as a pet. “Mama! Mama!” Adrien called out.

He found his father first. He was in his office, drawing something on the paper there. “No, no. This won’t do.” Gabriel muttered. He crumpled up the paper and placed it in the trash.

Adrien hesitated before he ran up to him. “Father! Father, look what I found!” He said.

Gabriel looked up. “Well well. What have we here?” He asked.

“I found her in the garden! She’s probably hungry!” He said with a grin. “Can you hold her while I get her something to eat?” He handed the kitten to his father.

Adrien ran down the stairs into the kitchen. He got out a bowl and looked around. They didn’t have any cat food. But kittens were like babies, he reasoned, so he got out milk and poured it into the bowl. He carefully carried it up the stairs. Even so, it sloshed around and spilled onto the floor. Adrien pushed open the door to the office and smiled. His father wasn’t in the room.

He searched for a while. He found Gabriel in his office’s private bathroom. He was facing away from the door, but Adrien could see the kitten in his arms. She wasn’t moving. “Adrien, animals are filthy and disgusting. I don’t want you bringing them into my house. Are we very clear on this point?” Gabriel asked. He turned ever so slightly. Adrien’s eyes grew wide as he saw that his father had killed the kitten. He dropped the bowl. It broke. Shattered ceramic and milk went all over the tile. “Look at what you’ve done now. Get out of my sight.”

Adrien ran away, tears rolling down his cheeks. He ran until he found his mother. She was sitting in her greenhouse. She looked almost too calm. It didn't sit right with him when she was like this. She looked down at him. “Oh, minou. Why are you crying?” She asked. She picked him up and placed him in her lap.

“Mama! Mama, he killed the kitty!” Adrien sobbed.

“Who killed the kitty? What are you talking about?” His mother asked.

“Father! He killed my kitty!”

“Oh, no. Don't cry, minou.” She said. She picked up a long, slender mahogany rod. She held it to his forehead. “It'll all be just a dream in a moment.” She cooed. “Lux oblitus.”

Adrien’s tears dried up and his expression grew vacant. He fell asleep in his mother’s arms. She moved the rod away from his forehead, a tiny green light at the tip of it. She shook it off into a jar and captured it by screwing on the lid. She then carried him up to bed.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Marinette used the knives to pin the knocked out kicker in place. She started to dial when she heard someone shout. “Tenebris memoria!” She turned and watched Adrien get struck by lightning.

“Adrien!” She screamed. She ran forward, her feet freezing just before the threshold. He was right there, just centimeters out of reach. He was unconscious, but she could see his eyes moving quickly, like he was having an intense dream. Marinette looked down the hall to see a short man with a wand and a book in his hand. “This isn’t Hogwarts, dickhead! Go cosplay somewhere else!” She shouted at him.

He raised his wand. “Tenebris lapis!” He shouted he pointed his wand at her. A stone appeared on the end, and it launched at her. Marinette yelped and created a telekinetic barrier. The stone crashed into it and shattered. She grabbed Adrien with her telekinesis and dragged him inside.

His head was bleeding, and it ran into his eye. She didn’t understand why lightning had done that, but she didn’t waste time trying to understand. “Adrien! Adrien, wake up!” She said.

His eyes opened briefly before he grimaced. He put his hand on his head and looked at the blood on his palm. “What the fuck?” He whispered. He looked at her. Her eyes were still glowing red. “Marinette, what happened?”

“Some weirdo in a robe struck you with lightning.” She explained.

As if on cue, the man appeared. “Tenebris lapis!” He shouted again, though the stone still shattered against the barrier.

“I think he might be a wizard, Marinette.” Adrien said.

“Okay. You and I are freaks of nature who can create and destroy just about anything,” she said flatly, “but I am drawing the fucking line here, dude. Witchcraft? No way.”

Adrien wiped the blood off of his face with his sleeve. “How long can you keep up that barrier?”

“Long enough. But we can’t stay here.” She said. “If your dad knows that we’re here, then he’ll just keep sending people after us. And we can’t keep fighting his minions forever.” She frowned. “My neighbors will get mad at me.”

“But you can’t leave your apartment, Marinette. Where would we go?” He asked.

She thought for a moment. “Let’s focus on getting out of here first. Go get your stuff and Plagg.” She stood and went into her bedroom. She found a bag and put clothes inside of it. In the back of her closet there were two bolts of fabric, one red and one black. She wrapped her clothes in them. Marinette also took some of her more personal effects and things she wouldn’t want Gabriel to get a hold of.

Adrien was already ready when Marinette left her bedroom. He wasn’t carrying Plagg’s carrier. “Are you ready?” He asked. There was genuine concern on his face. Plagg poked his head out of his shirt.

“Yes.” She said. She walked over to the door, but she paused. The man was still outside the door. He must have been ordered to take them by any means necessary. “Alright. If we get to the roof, I might be able to get us to the building across the street.”

“How do you expect we get past old Severus here?” Adrien asked.

Marinette focused her energy. She expanded the wall, knocking their attacker off his feet. She held out her hand. The barrier forced him against the wall. She took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold. “Let’s go!” She said, and they ran for the stairs. While it was obvious that the way down was the target, the stairs were completely inaccessible. Their attacker had blocked them with stones. “Looks like we’re taking the elevator.”

“The elevator is broken.” Adrien argued.

Marinette used her telekinesis to force open the doors. She looked up and then down before using her power again to lift the elevator up. Then she opened those doors. “You were saying?” She asked.

He chuckled. “Is this what Alya meant by ‘Overpowered’?” He asked.

They got in the elevator just as their attacker stood up. “Tenebris lapis!” He shouted. Marinette forced the doors closed seconds before the stone hit them. It dented the doors.

“Going up!” Marinette announced as she lifted the elevator. She focused for a moment before the elevator slammed against something. She opened the doors. “I guess this is it.” She said. She and Adrien made a dash for the stairs. They heard the rumbling of stones. “And I guess he’s coming up, too.”

Adrien pushed open the door to roof access. He looked around. “How are you going to get us across? There’s nothing up here.”

She ran to the edge of the building and took off her sweater. He ran over to her as she unfurled her wings. It was the only time Adrien had ever seen them in person. Alya had shown him a picture of them once. They’d caught the light and had created beautiful patterns on the ground. Her wings were still iridescent, but they were damaged. He realized that Gabriel was likely the reason for it. “With our combined weight, I think I can manage at least thirty seconds of sustained flight.” Marinette said. She looked at him. “That should--”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence. A stone struck her back and sent her toppling over the side. Adrien reacted quickly, grabbing her arm. Marinette’s body slammed into the wall. She fluttered her wings furiously, but she couldn’t fly. The stone had ripped her wings apart. “Marinette, hold on. I’m going to pull you up!” He said.

She wore an expression of honest fear, but she didn’t respond. She saw their attacker approach him. “Behind you!” She shouted. Adrien activated his power and swung behind him with his spare hand. Their attacker took a step away but pointed his wand at him. “Adrien, you have to drop me!” Marinette ordered.

“No! I’m not going to drop you!” Adrien shouted.

“Tenebris ventus!” The man shouted. He began to conjure a great wind. Adrien started to skid closer to the edge. Marinette conjured a psychic knife and stabbed his arm. He dropped her in shock.

“Marinette!” Adrien shouted as he watched her fall. “MARINETTE!”

“Tenebris lapis!” The man shouted.

Adrien jumped out of the way of the stone. He pulled the knife out of his belt. “You will regret this.” He hissed. He ran forward with the knife. The man held out his wand and opened his mouth to cast a spell. Adrien activated his powers and grabbed the wand. It rotted in his hand. “How are you going to cast spells now, Gandalf?” He mocked. He slashed at him with the knife, cutting his attacker’s cheek.

Before Adrien could slash again, the man was hit in the head with a manhole cover.

“What the fuck?” Adrien whispered.

He looked around. On the other side of the building, Marinette levitated on a trash can lid. She jumped off and started to walk over to their attacker. “I hope I didn’t hit you too hard, grandpa. Don’t want you dying on us for something you couldn’t control.” She said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Marinette! You’re alive!” Adrien breathed.

“Of course! I’m a survivor, after all.” She grinned. He walked over to her. She couldn’t identify the look on his face. Relief, perhaps? “What’s wrong?” She asked.

He held her face in his hands. She blinked and looked up at him as he studied her face like it was the first time he’d seen it. Then, Marinette smiled and put her hands on his. Adrien bent over and kissed her.

She was startled at first. Then she melted into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss was long and passionate, nine years of romantic frustration building up to this one moment. And the wait had been worth it.

When it broke, they were breathing heavily. Adrien opened his eyes and blushed. He covered his mouth with his hands. “I’m sorry! I don’t know what came over me!” He apologized as he looked away.

“What are you talking about?” She asked. She checked on their attacker. He was still breathing, and she used her telekinesis to grab the knife. She pinned him to the door with it. “Adrien?”

“Me! I shouldn’t…” He paused. “I shouldn’t have done that!” He obviously looked pained. Marinette tried to catch his hand. He pulled them away. “Marinette! I am so sorry!”

She laughed. “Adrien, don’t be sorry.” She reached for his hands again. She pulled him down and smiled. She kissed him again. “I love you.” Adrien put his hands around her waist. She forced their bodies closer to each other as they shared the kiss. He broke it and started to cry. “Not a good sign. Are you alright?” She asked as she wiped his tear away.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” He said as he buried his face into her hair. Plagg poked his head out of his shirt and meow. He laughed.


	6. Hurt and Hurt Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Juleka takes the three-tiered cake of being petty.

-EIGHT YEARS AGO-

There was a dance coming up in a week. Adrien had spent the past few days trying to gather up the courage to ask Marinette. However, he'd finally given up. He knew that he'd never be able to ask her out.

He opened up his locker to retrieve his things at the end of the day. “Hey, Marinette.” A girl said. It was Lila Rossi. Lila had been new last year, joining the class shortly after Marinette returned from the hospital. She'd immediately attached herself to Marinette. For the past year, if Marinette had gone anywhere, Lila was close behind.

“Oh, hi, Lila.” Marinette said. She'd warmed up to her after a while. Adrien had not. It wasn't like he hated Lila--

“I've been meaning to ask you. Do you want to go to the dance with me?” She asked.

He hated Lila.

Marinette laughed awkwardly. “Are you sure you want to go with me?” She asked. “I wasn't a very good dancer with two feet, and now I only have one.”

“Of course I do?” She laughed. “I've wanted to ask you out on a date since the day we met. Now just seemed like a good time.”

Say no. Say no. Say no. “Okay. That sounds like it might be fun!” Fuck! Adrien slammed his locker shut. He'd accidentally rusted the edge. How was he supposed to explain that?

He walked out of the room. “Agreste, are you alright?” Lila asked. She never used his first name. Not after she learned what happened to Marinette.

“I'm fine.” He lied. He went back to Nino’s house and started crying.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien’s home was a few kilometers away from Marinette's apartment. She held onto him the entire time they walked, nervous. She'd been to his home before, but her surroundings seemed to overwhelm her.

Adrien had gained control of his father’s fortune when he turned eighteen. He'd used it to move out of Nino’s home and furnish his own. He made donations every month to various non-profit charities now, mostly to those who helped survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.

They got there just as the sun was starting to set. Adrien unlocked the door and pushed it open. His house had a weird floor plan. The stairs were right at the front. His living room was up the stairs, viewable like a loft. The kitchen was to the right, and down a long hallway to the left was his bedroom, office and bathroom. Down the stairs was a small library and a home gym.

His shoes were piled to the side. “Make yourself at home.” He said. She nodded as she entered. “I'll go clean up my bedroom some. You can sleep in there. I'll take the couch.”

“I don't want to steal your bed.” Marinette protested.

“I insist.”

\---

-SIX YEARS AGO-

Lila knocked on Marinette's door. She smiled when she answered. “Hi, sweetheart!” Lila said enthusiastically. She noticed Marinette's puffy eyes and stopped smiling. “What's wrong?”

“It's April 17th.” She said. Marinette leaned against the door. “Did you need something?”

“Um, not as such.” Lila said. “I was just wondering if you had time to discuss our plans.”

“Can we do it tomorrow?” She asked. “Adrien is here. This is kind of our day.” She explained, “It's the anniversary of when Gabriel kidnapped me. We always try to do something fun so we don't think about it.”

“On the anniversary of your kidnapping, you hang out with the son of the man who kidnapped you?” Lila asked. “That doesn't strike you as a bit odd?”

Marinette sighed. “It's a bit of a tradition.”

Lila frowned. “Fine. Text me when he's gone. We have a lot of planning to do.”

Marinette agreed and closed the door. Adrien was sitting on the couch, a controller in his hands. She walked back and picked up hers. “What was that about?” He asked as she unpaused the game.

“Um, it was Lila. I told her that we were hanging out and she left.” Marinette explained.

He frowned. “What did she want?”

“She wanted to talk plans, but it isn't the best time right now.”

“Plans?”

Marinette was quiet. She paused the game again. “Adrien, I have something important to tell you.” She said without looking at him. She reached into her shirt and pulled out a thin gold chain. On the chain was a diamond ring. “Lila asked me to marry her. I said yes.”

Adrien felt his world shatter around him. “What?”

“We’re engaged.” She said. She looked up at him. “I'm not wearing the ring because it's too big. We’re getting it resized next weekend.”

He honestly didn't know what to say. He was too stunned to blink, let alone speak or even start picking up the pieces of his broken heart. “Have you told anyone else?”

“Just our parents, and Alya.” She paused. “All of whom were much more excited than you are.”

“Of course I'm excited.” He lied, “I'm so happy for you both. Congratulations!”

She sighed. “Adrien, if you're going to lie to me, put the controller down before you short circuit it.”

He obliged. “I’m not--”

“I like to think that I know you pretty well.” She said. “What’s wrong with you? I thought you’d be happy that I’m finally getting my life back on track.”

“Of course. I’m glad that she makes you happy, and I’m glad that you’re starting your lives together.” His heart hurt from the words. It wasn’t like he thought she’d be happier with him, but he still loved her. As much as he told himself that it was pointless for him to love her, he couldn’t shake his feelings.

Marinette folded her arms and pouted. “Then why aren’t you excited? You looked happier when Ivan and Mylène said they were getting married, and you barely know them compared to what you and I have been through. You gave a speech at their wedding two months ago, for Christ’s sake!”

“That’s a bit different, Marinette. Mylène and Ivan have been dating since they were fifteen, and now she’s pregnant.”

“So the only reason to get married is because someone’s pregnant? Is that it?” Marinette demanded. “Are you one of those people, Adrien?”

“For fuck’s sake, Marinette! I never said that!” Adrien shouted.

“Then why? Why can’t you be happy for me?” She had tears in her eyes. She pulled her knees up.

“I am happy for you!”

She stood up. “Stop lying to me!” She screamed at him. “I'm not some fragile doll! I'm a human being! I deserve to be told the truth!”

He stood as well. “You want to know the truth?” He asked. “I'll tell you the truth! Lila is wrong for you!”

“Why? What did she ever do that makes her wrong for me?” She demanded. “Because she treats me like a person?”

Adrien followed her. “Because she hits you, Marinette!” She jumped and froze. He grabbed her hand and brought it up. Her sleeve fell down, showing a bruise on her wrist. It was still yellow; it hadn’t turned dark yet. “Deny it if you want, Marinette. I see what she does.”

She snatched her arm away. “You don’t know her!” She shouted. She was quiet for a moment. “And you’re one to talk about marks on your arm.”

He grew tense. “You can’t honestly think that it’s a good idea to marry someone who hurts you.”

“You don’t know the whole story.”

“Then tell me, Marinette! Why do you want to marry Lila?”

“I love her!”

“How can you love someone who hurts you? Please, Mari, help me understand!”

She was visibly angry. Her cheeks were red and her posture was guarded. “You can’t explain love, Adrien!” She argued. “Lila loves me and I love her! And we’re going to get married, whether you like it or not!”

He took a few steps closer to her. “I can’t let you do this!” He said. “I can’t watch you marry her just because you think you understand what love is!” Adrien struggled with keeping tears from his eyes. “You, of all people, should know that what the two of you have isn’t love!”

“You don’t get to decide for me, Adrien!” Marinette screamed. “Get out! Get out of my house!”

“Marinette, I’m not leaving until--”

“I SAID GET OUT!” She screeched. She grabbed his shirt and threw him out into the hall. She slammed the door behind him.

\---

It was November and Adrien hadn't seen since Marinette since April. According to her profile she was still in China. He wondered when she was getting back.

The doorbell rang. Adrien answered it. Marinette stood in the rain, soaking wet. “Marinette!” He exclaimed.

“Hi, Adrien. I'm sorry to bother you.” She said.

“God, you're not bothering me. Come inside before you get sick.” He moved so she could enter. She stepped into the house and kicked off her shoes. “I thought you were in China!”

“I came back early.” She looked into his eyes for a long time. “C-can I stay here for a few days? I don't want Lila knowing I'm home.” She asked.

He was stunned. “Uh, yeah. Of course.” He said suddenly. “But why don't you want her to know you're home?” He asked. He shook his head. “Wait, hold on. You should change out of those wet clothes.”

“All my clothes are wet. I walked here from the airport.” She said.

“Why the fuck would you walk here from the airport in the rain?”

“I don't want to use my credit card and I don't have any cash.”

“You could have called me! I have a car!”

“I don't want to use my phone, either!” God, their relationship was so much worse than he thought.

Adrien took her coat and hung it up. “Throw your things in the dryer. It's downstairs. I've got some clothes that might fit you in my bedroom.” He said. They parted ways and met in the living room. Marinette took the clothes and changed in the bathroom. “Marinette, what's going on with you and Lila?”

Marinette pulled up her knees. “I just don't want to see her. She still thinks we’re fighting so she won't look for me here.” She muttered. She looked at him. “We… We aren't still fighting, right?”

“No, of course not.” He said.

“She's…” Marinette frowned. “You were right. She's wrong for me. I… I can't believe how stupid I was! I was going to marry her!”

“Marinette, tell me what's wrong.”

“What's right?” She demanded. “Lila hits me! Lila lies to me!” Marinette sobbed. “Lila keeps saying she'll stop but then it just gets worse! God! Why is this happening?”

“She's done these things since you first started dating. Why are you so upset now?”

“I think she wants to kill me!” She exclaimed. Her eyes were red and her face was hot. “I told her that I was having a good time in China, and I joked that I might stay. And she said that if I tried to leave her she'd hunt me down!” Marinette ran into Adrien's arm and shook. “I'm so scared!”

He hugged her tightly. “It's okay. I've got you.” He whispered.

“I'm so sorry to drop this on you. I know that I'm a burden.” She apologized when she finally finished crying.

“You are not a burden.” He reassured her.

She smiled at him. “Yes I am. Just because you don't mind carrying me doesn't mean I'm not a burden.” She sighed. “I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm too afraid to even give the ring back.”

“Give it to me.” He said. Marinette removed the diamond ring from her finger. He looked at it, and for a moment, he considered destroying it. Adrien shoved it into his pocket. “I'll give it back to her. You call Alya and tell her what happened.”

“Okay.” She asked to borrow his phone. She walked out of the room and called Alya. Adrien looked at the ring again. He sighed. Marinette started crying again when she spoke to Alya. She calmed down after a while. Eventually, she gave him his phone back. “She’s going to help me get out of our apartment.” There was a long period of silence. “This must make you happy.”

“What?” He asked.

“Being right. You said that she was wrong for me and you were right. You must be happy.”

“No, Marinette. You’re sitting in my house, soaking wet and in hysterics. Why would I be happy about that?” Adrien asked. He was silent for a moment. “And it was wrong of me to yell at you. I may have been right about Lila, but that doesn’t mean that I should have yelled. I shouldn’t have tried to tell you what to do, and I should have treated you like the adult that you are. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too. I was too afraid to leave her.” She explained. “But now I’m too afraid to stay with her.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

As he was cleaning, his phone rang. “Hello, this is Adrien Félix.” He answered it absently.

“Oh, thank God you're safe!” Nino exclaimed from the other side. “I just got wind that your father escaped from prison! How are you holding up?”

“Fine. I'm fine.” He said with a small smile. Nino was a lawyer now. They still hung out quite often, especially after a case ended and he didn't have to withhold information. “Marinette and I are living together. Safety in numbers.”

Nino chuckled. “Oh, man. Have you guys…?”

Adrien blushed. “No, no!” He smiled. “I mean, we kissed today but… God, I don't want to talk about that.”

“No way! You kissed Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” He exclaimed. “Dude! Details!”

“Well, she was hit in the back by my father’s goon and nearly fell off a building--”

“Wait, go back.”

He quickly explained. “Anyway, she fell and then when she got back up to the roof, I kissed her.” As he spoke, his face when from a grin to a look of exhaustion. “Here's the kicker. She said ‘I love you’, and I cried.”

“Adrien, why would you cry when she said ‘I love you’?” He asked. “It's not like you cry every time someone says ‘I love you’.”

“I don't know why I cried! But I didn't say it back!” He panicked. “Oh God, what if she thinks I don't love her?”

“I am almost positive she knows you loves her.”

Marinette entered the bedroom. She, too, was on her phone. “Why is your house always such a mess when I come over?” She teased. “Anyway, talk to Juleka. I'll keep whoever you're talking to entertained.” She switched their phones. “Hello? Hi, Nino!”

Adrien rolled his eyes. “Juleka?”

“Rose wants Prince Ali to walk her down the aisle. Can you believe that?” She said without even saying hello.

It took all his strength not to sing. “She not only managed to convince Crown Prince Ali of the Kowar Kingdom to come to your wedding, she got him to agree to walk her down the aisle?”

Juleka scoffed. “I mean, it wasn't hard. We've been planning it for a year, and they'd dated long distance in high school.” She explained. “But that's weird, right? Having your ex walk you down the aisle?”

“I can understand your concern.” He said as he started to make his bed.

“And I know it wasn't our original plan, but her parents disowned her and my dads died shortly after we started planning. We both had to find replacements.”

“You didn't have to. You could have given yourselves away.” He argued.

“Rose wanted a fairytale wedding and fairytale weddings have people giving away the bride. Or brides.”

“What did you want?”

“To marry Rose and spend every day trying to make her happy.” Juleka said. “I still do.”

“Aw, that's so sweet!” Adrien said.

“Shut up, you big crybaby!” She said, but he could tell she was smiling even over the phone. “But this calls for retribution! I have to find someone who makes her uncomfortable to walk me down the aisle!”

He frowned. “Juleka, I don't think your wedding day is the best place for petty revenge.”

“Will you walk me down the aisle?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” He said without a second thought.

“But you just said--”

“Jules, listen. This has been a lifelong dream of mine that I didn't know about until just now. Don't take it from me.”

She laughed. “Okay. Give the phone back to Marinette. I still have to convince her to come.”

Adrien wasn't surprised that Marinette hadn't RSVP'd for the wedding. When she got the invitation, she had likely thought that she would never leave her apartment again, so what was the point? Hopefully the thought of not going alone would comfort her. “Alright. Take care of yourself.”

“Yeah. You too.”

Adrien took the phone back to Marinette. They switched phones. “Nino, it's me.”

“I am one hundred percent positive that she knows you love her.” Nino said.

“Great. Did you ask her that? Because I did not tell you to do that.” He said as a blush came to his cheeks.

Nino laughed. “No, but I asked her how she liked staying with you.”

“Right, I forgot you were the great insinuator.” He said sassily. He was quiet for a moment. “Nino, I need a favor, no questions asked. I need you to go to my father’s mansion and bring me a book from the library. It's got a white cover and there is a silver relief of a skull and a sun.”

“Why?”

“No questions asked.” Adrien reminded him. “I'd go myself, but I don't want to leave Marinette alone.”

“Alright. I'll get it and swing by your house tomorrow morning.” Nino said. “Hey, Adrien?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell her you love her. Just because she knows doesn't mean she doesn't want to hear it.”

He was quiet. “Yeah. Okay. You're right.”

Nino chuckled. “Of course I'm right. Even if I wasn't, I'd argue until you thought I was.”

Adrien laughed and hung up. He pulled a pillow and a blanket from his closet. He walked into the living room. “Okay. It's all set.”

“I have to protest again. You should sleep in your bedroom.” She argued. She put her phone back up to her ear. “Rose, don't make it weird.”

“What did Rose say?”

“I'll call you tomorrow. Sure, fine, whatever.” She said as she rolled her eyes. She hung up. “She made it weird.”

“But what did she say?”

“Listen. It was weird.” Marinette said flatly. “Let it go. Also, you should sleep in your bedroom.” He didn't argue. Instead, he put his pillow on the couch, sat down and pushed her off with his legs. “Hey!” She laughed.

“Sorry. The couch says you get the bed. No take backs.”

“Oh, come on.” They laughed. She stood and stretched. “Good night, for what it's worth.” She walked out of the room, offering him a quick look before she disappeared down the hall.

It took a while, but he fell asleep.

Around midnight, he was awakened when someone shook him. He sat up, groggy. “Psst. Hey. Scooch.” Marinette said. He was too tired to argue, so he buried himself between the cushion and the couch.

“God damn it, Mari. You're going to make me ruin my couch.” He said, half asleep.

“Hush.” She said. She sat down and pushed her body next to his. He unconsciously draped his arms over her. She was warm and soft. “Sorry. I couldn't sleep.” She apologized.

Adrien nuzzled his face into her shoulder and pulled her closer gently. “Don't worry about it. I don't mind.”

Marinette smiled. “I love you.” She said quietly, like it was a secret.

He quickly pecked her shoulder. “Love you, too.” And then he was asleep again.

\---

-SIX YEARS AGO-

Alya and Adrien had put aside their differences to find an apartment for Marinette to live in. She worried that she wouldn't be able to afford the rent on her own, but Adrien promised to wire her money if ever she needed it. They'd bought some furniture, just the basics, and she'd gotten some gifts from her parents.

All that was left was her clothes, which were still in the apartment Marinette shared with Lila. Adrien had promised to give Lila the ring back, so he'd gotten some boxes and driven over to the apartment building. Marinette hadn’t gotten a key when they’d moved in, but she told him the apartment number.

He used his ability to create a hole in the door. He unlocked it and tried to push it open. It caught on the chain lock. He groaned and rusted it. It broke easily, and he looked around. The apartment was large, meaning that Lila’s parents must have gotten her a pretty decent job. Adrien opened the door to the bedroom. It was pretty easy to see which of the clothes were Marinette’s.

“What the hell?” A voice said. Adrien shivered. But he wasn’t afraid of her. He walked out and saw Lila. She looked up at him and froze. “Agreste? What… why are you here?”

“Marinette is moving out. She asked me to get her clothes.” He explained.

“Moving out?” She asked, honestly surprised. “What do you mean? I didn’t even know she was back in France!”

“That doesn’t surprise me. Marinette is more clever than people think.” He said.

Lila leaned against the wall. Adrien knew that she did love Marinette, however toxic that love was. The news that she was leaving her must have come as quite a shock. After all, she had spent the better part of two years trying to make sure Marinette never left her. “Is she… coming back?” Lila was in denial.

“No, she isn’t. And why would she?” Adrien asked. He started to walk out. Then he remembered the ring. “Oh, by the way. She asked me to give you a message.”

Lila looked up. “What is it?” Adrien took the ring out of his pocket. He gave it one last look before he threw it in Lila’s face. It hit her cheek and fell into her lap. She picked it up and held it longfully. He walked out the door. A shoe shot past his head, and he tripped from surprise. Some of Marinette’s clothes spilled onto the floor. Adrien started to pick them up. “Are you fucking her?”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Adrien shouted.

Lila stormed over to him. “Are you fucking her? Are you fucking my fiancée?”

“No, I am not sleeping with Marinette!” Adrien said. “And even if I was, I don’t think you could really blame her for cheating on you when you frequently make her afraid for her life!” He pushed her away from him. “And she’s not your fiancée anymore!”

“I should have known better!” She spat. “I should have known better than to fall in love with a straight girl!”

“She is bisexual and you fucking know it!”

“I’m not letting her leave me!”

“She’s already left you! And you had better leave her alone, or you’re going to answer to me!” Adrien shouted. His arms were shaking. Every muscle in his body was focused on not hitting Lila.

“Give her a message for me.” She said. Then, Lila was quiet. Her face was intense, but her voice was low. “I’ll find her.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him close to her face. “I’ll find her if I have to burn down all of Paris!”


	7. Enchantment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien's internet search history is discussed.

Marinette woke up before Adrien did. That was becoming more common. She saw his arms were still wrapped around her. She felt warm and safe, and she pulled her hands in. She stifled a giddy laugh as she rolled off of the couch. Marinette grabbed her phone from the bedroom and took it into the basement.

She pulled the bolts of cloth out of her bag and looked at them as she called Alya. “Marinette, do you have any idea what time it is?” Alya asked sleepily.

“Hush, you had to wake up soon anyway.” She said snippily before she returned to her positive mood. “You’ll never guess who I kissed last night!”

Alya didn't respond. “Ryan Reynolds.”

“No. Why do you always guess Ryan Reynolds?” She asked. “I. Kissed. Adrien!” She laughed and bounced up and down. “You don't sound excited.”

“You know I don't like Adrien. Why would I be excited that you kissed him?” She asked. “And we are twenty-four years old. Kisses are not the height of gossip unless someone is married.”

Marinette laughed. She put the phone between her ear and shoulder as she held up the red fabric. “Oh, hush. I'm excited.”

“Yeah, I know you are. But I want facts so call me when you've fucked him.”

She blushed. “You know I never kiss and tell!”

“What the fuck do you call this, then?” Alya asked with a laugh. Marinette giggled. “I've got to get ready for the show. I'll stop by later.”

“Oh, we’re at Adrien's home when you come by.” She hung up. Marinette levitated the fabric with her telekinesis. She focused on creating a suit that would fit her like a glove. She used the black fabric to make spots on the red suit.

When she was finished, she made a suit out of the black fabric, this time focusing on Adrien. She considered giving him gloves, but wondered if he could destroy the fabric. She took a small square and walked upstairs.

Adrien was, unsurprisingly, on the phone. He wasn't saying much, though. “Adrien, destroy this.” Marinette said, holding out the black fabric. He mouthed ‘why’. “Because I want to see if you can.”

He rolled his eyes. He activated his powers and disintegrated the fabric. “Yes, I'm still here. Why is it always a fight with you to get my prescription refilled, Cory?” Marinette realized that she wasn't supposed to hear that and went back into the basement. “Yeah, I know that it's a high dosage but I should have refills left. I shouldn't need to make a doctor’s appointment every fucking month.” He was quiet for a moment. “Normal people don't go to the doctor every fucking month, Cory!”

“Monsieur, please don't shout at me.”

“Don't ‘monsieur’ me! You know me! I see you at the grocery store on Tuesdays!” Adrien argued. “I've been using this pharmacy for years!”

Cory was quiet. “I'm just concerned that this dosage you're at is too high. Doctor Colonomos is being investigated for giving bad prescriptions.”

“Aw, fuck this. Fuck my life.” He groaned. Now he had to find a new doctor and explain all over again why he needed a high dosage. It would be incredibly uncomfortable and the third time in seven years. “But most importantly, fuck you, Cory.” He hung up.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Adrien was living with the Anselm family. They had a daughter who was about to start high school. He was not allowed to talk to her and they were looking into finding him a new place to stay. In the meantime, every moment he was there felt like an eternity.

“Get up, lazy bones. It might be Saturday but you still have a half day of school to get to.” Madame Anselm said as she woke him up. Her American accent was jarring. He raised his head up and sighed. He dressed quickly and got his things ready. Adrien walked down the stairs. “Aren't you going to eat?” Madame Anselm asked.

“I'm not hungry, thank you.” He said as he left the house. He put his headphones in and walked silently. His ringtone replaced the music. Adrien answered his phone. “Hello?”

“An inmate from Clairvaux Prison is attempting to contact you. If you accept the charges, please say ‘yes’ now.” An automated female voice said.

He sighed. “Yes.” There was a pause. “What do you want?” He demanded.

“Is that any way to speak to your father?” Gabriel asked.

“You should thank your lucky stars that I picked up at all.” Adrien said. “What. Do. You. Want?”

He could tell that Gabriel was frowning. “It has been a while since we talked. I worry about you.”

“Oh, really? You worry about me?” He snapped. “Well, let me just fill you in! My hobbies include contemplating the mysteries of the universe, writing fan fictions that take place in coffee shops and cutting your face out of family portraits! I haven't tried to kill myself for three days, a new personal best.” He shouted. “And what have you been up to? Oh, that's right. Your body is rotting in jail, and when it finally dies, your soul will rot in hell!”

“How dare you speak to me that way?” Gabriel demanded.

“How dare you call me like you're some kind of father who cares about his son?” Adrien spat. “How dare you pretend like nothing is wrong? Like this isn't a fucking nightmare that we’ll never wake up from?” He grabbed his phone and squeezed it, like his actions could hurt his father more than his poisonous words. “You ruined my life! Worse, you ruined her life! I fucking hate you! Stop calling me!” He short circuited the phone and slammed it on the ground. Adrien stomped on it.

Well, he thought as he looked from the faces of confused passersby to the shattered gadget, he probably shouldn't have done that.

Adrien sighed and finished his walk to school. He couldn't bring himself to go inside, so he sat on the steps and buried his face in his hands.

He looked up when he heard someone fall. Of course it was Marinette, late, like always. She'd tripped, obviously in pain. He helped her to her feet. “Morning, Adrien. You look like you've have better ones, so I'll skip the good.”

“That obvious, huh?” He chuckled.

She folded her arms. “So, what happened?”

“My father called me. I told him I hated him and destroyed my phone.”

“I wish I had been a ladybug on the wall of that conversation!” She said.

“I don't think that's how the saying goes.”

“Ladybugs are cuter than flies. What did you say to him?”

Adrien pushed his hair back. “I told him that I cut his face out of all the family portraits as a hobby.”

“How long did that take? Two minutes?” She teased. He laughed bitterly. “I wish you'd said something sooner. I wouldn't have ripped apart my magazines. I'd have let you rip them apart.” They sat down.

“You're in a good mood.” He said.

“Yeah, I guess I am.” She said. Marinette smiled at him. “You want to cut class and go to a movie?”

“If I cut class, my probation officer will kill me.” Adrien argued.

She shook her head. “No!” She laughed. She stood and offered her hand to him. “Come on, then. We’re late as it is.”

He hesitated. “Why are you so good to me, Marinette?”

“You're my knight, Adrien.” She said with a smile.

“I'll always be your knight, princess.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien looked around, but he couldn't find Marinette. He walked downstairs and opened the basement door. She stood inside, holding the jumpsuits she'd created. “Here. Try this on.” She said, tossing him the black jumpsuit.

“I think I'm past the point in my life in which I could run around in a spandex suit and not be self-conscious.” He said as he held it up. It felt like leather.

Marinette scoffed. “It's not spandex.”

“Leather is somehow worse.” He said.

“No, not leather either.” She said. “It's a highly experimental fabric I made a long time ago. It's completely indestructible.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.” Marinette grinned. She grabbed a sword from the wall. She stumbled back from the weight. “Um, maybe you had better wield this.”

Adrien took the sword from her. She held up her red jumpsuit and told him to strike it. He hesitated, but he trusted her. He slashed at the jumpsuit. The sword couldn't cut the fabric. “Impressive.”

“We shouldn't have to worry about dying while fighting your dad now!” She grinned.

There was a knock on the door. “That's probably Nino.” Adrien said. He threw the suit over his shoulder and walked up the stairs. He answered the door.

Nino smiled at him, and they hugged. He was wearing a band tee-shirt and baggy jeans. “What’s up?” He looked at the suit on his shoulder. “Uh… is this a bad time?”

Adrien looked at the suit. “Oh! Oh, no no no. No, it isn’t a bad time. This is a supersuit!” He held it up with an awkward grin. He shook his head. “Did you bring the book?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got it. I have to admit, I don’t understand a word of it.” He handed Adrien the book.

The book was heavy and old. He’d seen his mother read it when he was young, but he was never allowed to. The pages were well worn and a bit bent out of shape from the wand tucked within. He had always wondered why she hadn’t brought it with her when she left. It worked out for him, though, because it meant that he could study the pages.

Like he thought, the spells that the wizard who attacked them used were recorded in the book. He had been right. Their attacker was using witchcraft, and it meant that his mother used it too. “Adrien?” Nino said. He looked up. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just trying to figure this out. It’s written in code.” He said. He moved so Nino could come inside. “Marinette! Can you come here?” He shouted.

They met up in the living room. Adrien explained and showed her the book. “If what you’re saying is true, then this must be your mother’s grimoire.” She said. “As much as I hate to admit that you were right about the witchcraft part.”

“Why would she leave it behind?” Nino asked.

“I don’t know. She wouldn’t have been so careless to leave it behind on accident.” He said, “She must not have needed it, or believed that I might need it later.” He flipped through the pages and held the wand. “Okay. So ‘lux’ channels the forces of light and ‘tenebris’ channels darkness. And depending on the channel the spell comes from, it changes the effect?”

“Are you positive this is safe?” Marinette asked. He didn’t respond, so she moved closer to Nino.

“I remember the oblitus spell because of the wizard.” Adrien said. “That makes people forget. Memoria makes people remember.” He hesitated. “I hate to ask, but can one of you be my guinea pig?”

“Fuck no.” Nino said flatly. “I am not going to risk you hurting anyone with a power you don’t understand.”

“I’ll try it.” Marinette offered. She stood opposite of Adrien and smiled. “I trust you.”

He smiled tentatively. “Thank you, Marinette.” He opened the grimoire and held out the wand. “Lux memoria.” Nothing happened. He shook the wand and tried again. Still nothing. “Dammit.”

“The wizard channeled tenebris when casting his memoria spell.” She reminded him. “Try that.”

“Yes, but it also made me remember something bad. I don’t want to make you relive something bad.”

“Just try it.”

He shook, but nodded. He held out the wand again. “Tenebris memoria.” Nothing happened. “Tenebris memoria!”

“I guess not everyone can use magic.” Nino said. He took the wand and tried to cast the memoria spell, invoking both lux and tenebris. He couldn’t. Then, Marinette tried with the same result. “Are you sure that we’re doing this right?”

A knock came to the door. Adrien answered it. Alya barely waited for him to open the door before she entered. “Have you never cleaned your house?” She asked as she walked upstairs.

He was quiet. “Nice to see you again.”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Hi, Marinette. Nino. I didn’t expect to see you here.” She smiled at the others. Marinette hugged Alya. She was wearing a red blouse and white slacks. “What’s with the book? Oh, God, that’s a freaky cover.”

“It’s a grimoire.” Marinette explained. “We’ve been trying to use magic since Gabriel is sending wizards after us.”

“Great. It’s always been a dream of mine to get murdered in the name of witchcraft.” Alya said flatly.

“No such luck, Al.” Nino said. “We can’t even use the memoria spell, and it’s supposed to be the easiest.” She looked at the grimoire and asked for the wand. She read the book and tapped her face with the wand. There was a long period of silence. “So, did you guys come up with a plan?”

“Not a formal one.” Adrien shrugged.

Marinette nodded. “We’re going to try to find Adrien’s mom. She might be willing to help us defeat Gabriel.”

Nino seemed shocked. “Your mom? Bro, she’s been gone for, what, twelve years? You know where she is?”

“We have a lead. That’s not as good as her actual location, but it’s a start.” Adrien said.

Alya made a positive sound. “Okay! So it really is just as simple as holding out the stick and saying ‘lux memoria’!” A beam of white light shot from the end of the wand and hit Nino. He fell back, asleep. “Oh, shit!”

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Two nights after Adrien brought Marinette to the hospital, Alya and Nino snuck into the Agreste Mansion. It was completely empty. After all, everyone who lived inside had been arrested while the police investigated the Pale case. Alya, however, had suspicions about Adrien, and wanted to investigate for herself. “I don’t feel right sneaking around my man Adrien’s room.” Nino protested for the hundredth time.

“You’d feel even worse if your man Adrien is a rapist and you defended him, wouldn’t you?” Alya demanded, putting her hands on her hips. “Show me his room.”

Nino led the way to Adrien’s room. Alya was surprised, but she wasted no time sitting down at his computer and accessing his search history. “Alya, I swear to God, if we get caught we are going to go to jail. We are two brown people in a white person’s mansion. We will go to jail.” Nino panicked. “Jail, Alya. Alya, jail. Jail. Jail. Alya, jail.”

“Are you broken?” She asked. She rolled her eyes and leaned forward. “Let’s see what kind of kinky shit you’re into, Agreste.”

“God, I wish I had never heard you say that!” Nino said. He put his headphones on and turned up his music. Alya unplugged them. He scoffed. “Wow, rude.” She scrolled through page after page of internet searches. Adrien frequented her blogs, which was expected. He’d read a hundred or so ‘Sailor Moon’, ‘Attack on Titan’ and ‘Puella Magi Madoka Magica’ fan fictions. Nino made a note to get the number right on this one--Adrien had bookmarked about a billion cat videos, most of which were cats that didn’t have depth perception. Starting five days after Marinette went missing, Adrien had started researching the Pale, and then four days ago, he’d looked up how to tie nooses. “Oh, God.”

“Rapist or not, this kid needs therapy.” Alya said. She thought she’d found porn, so she clicked on the link. “God, it’s just another fucking cat video!” She screamed, resisting the urge to destroy Adrien’s computer.

“How can you hate someone so pure?” Nino asked. “You don’t have one single piece of evidence that he hurt Marinette, not even a search for boobs.”

“No one who watches this much anime is pure.” Alya argued. “And we don’t have any proof he isn’t searching for porn in incognito mode.”

“If he knew how to open incognito windows, don’t you think he’d research suicide in one?”

She frowned. She opened up iTunes and bid it to play his most frequently listened to songs. In order, the computer played ‘Stronger than You’ by Estelle, the opening to ‘Attack on Titan’ and then ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ by Green Day before Nino’s insane laughter annoyed her into making it stop. “I hate him so much?” She said. “He’s like a shitpost from the nineties. How is this possible?”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“Nino! Nino! Nino!” His friends shouted. Nino opened his eyes wide. He saw Alya first. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry!” She apologized.

Suddenly, he started to laugh hysterically. “Oh, my God! Oh, my God! That was the funniest night of my life!” He shouted. “Al! Al, I’m so sorry I almost bailed on you!”

“What are you talking about?” Alya asked.

“Do you… do you remember when we broke into Adrien’s room because you were convinced that he helped his dad?” He asked. Adrien looked at Alya angrily. She blushed but nodded. “Oh, man! I remembered that! God, that was so fucking funny!” He threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Best night ever!”

Adrien sighed. “So, you broke into my bedroom?” He asked.

Alya narrowed her eyes. “Yeah. Why did you bookmark so many cat videos?”

He blushed. “I like them.” He looked away.

Marinette caught their attention. “So Alya can use magic, but none of us can. What do we share that Alya doesn’t?” She already knew the answer, but wanted to see if the others had caught on.

“Immaturity?” Alya suggested.

“Stunning good looks?” Adrien fired back.

“Homosexual tendencies?” Nino offered.

She groaned. “We’re all part of the mutant generation. Alya isn’t.” She said. “Freaks can’t use magic, but people who can use magic can protect themselves from freaks. So Nathalie gave us Dragon Auras because your dad can’t use magic!”

“Another piece of the puzzle, I guess.” Adrien said.

“I have to wonder, though.” Nino thought aloud, “If your father knows that he can’t control wizards and witches, how could he send a wizard after you? And why would he leave a spellbook in his home?”

Alya blinked. “That’s a good point. Did he know that you have powers?”

“No, I never told anyone but other freaks.” Adrien said. “Plus Alya. But, he knew that he couldn’t control me like he could non-freaks. He must have figured it out sometime.”

“So your father knows that you have powers, but he might not know what they are.” Marinette said. “And while he knew about my wings and destroyed them, he doesn’t know about my telekinesis.”

“This is all well and good, but it doesn’t help us find him, and it won’t help us stop him.” Nino said.

Adrien closed his eyes and thought for a moment. “You’re right, of course.” He offered the grimoire to Alya. “Here. You’re the only one of us who can use magic. See what you can learn from this.”

Alya hesitated, but she agreed. She flipped through the pages and sighed. “I still don’t understand what the Pale expects to accomplish. What’s his plan?”

Marinette shivered. “After he finishes what he started, I assume he’ll go right back to doing what he’s always done.” Adrien hugged her. “Sometimes things just aren’t complicated.”


	8. Momentary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Gabriel gives Adrien an eating disorder and makes us all really uncomfortable?

-TEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette had said that this was expected to be the end of the year costume party to end all end of the year costume parties. She’d found a warehouse that didn't have a lot of security, convinced her classmate Nino to be the disc jockey, her friend Alya was going to cover it for her blog, and most importantly, she’d invited Adrien. He hadn’t expected to be invited. After all, he didn’t go to their school and his father would never let him attend a party. But she’d invited him, and by God, he was going to go.

He dug around in his closet. The Gabriel line didn’t make costumes, so he had to come up with a homemade one in--he looked at his phone--three hours. He looked at his clothes for a very long time before he dressed all in black and grabbed a long belt. He buckled the belt in the back of his pants and let it hang long. Then, he found a hat Marinette had made for his birthday. It had cat ears. He pulled it over his head and climbed out the window.

Adrien climbed the tree near the fence and jumped. He barely got enough air to grab the top of the wall. He pulled himself up and rolled over. He fell harshly on the ground. Adrien let out a loud yelp, and he could only hope that he hadn’t just broken his ass.

When his back stopped hurting, he stood and headed for Marinette’s home. He knocked on the door when he arrived, only to see that the house was locked. He sighed and sat down. After a few minutes, teens started pouring out of the school, and Marinette was among them. He waved when he saw her, and she ran to meet him. “Hey, Adrien! What are you doing here?” She asked.

“The party is tonight, right?” He chuckled. “I, uh, I don't know where it is.”

“Yeah, it's tonight. As in, not for a few hours?” She laughed. “You’re really early. You might as well help me get the stuff.” She looked at him. “What are you supposed to be?”

He blushed. “I’m a cat. I couldn’t think of anything else on short notice.”

He could almost see an idea pop into her head. “How fast can you walk?”

“I don’t know?”

“Let’s hurry.”

They ran upstairs and grabbed the decorations. They carried streamers and balloons to the warehouses. Marinette quickly made the punch and put the snacks out on the table. Then, she dug in her purse. “Uh, Marinette? Why did we have to hurry?” Adrien asked. She pulled out paint and brushes, and she wore a devilish grin. “What are you going to do to me?” He asked as he narrowed his eyes.

She giggled. “Sit down, kitty. I’ve got an hour and a half, a lot of face paint and a blank canvas.” He sighed. Adrien sat down on the couch and closed his eyes. Marinette painted his face. She was surprised that he didn’t twitch at all, but she remembered that he was a model and was probably used to it. She added a few finishing touches to the paint. She pulled out her phone and took a picture. “Take a look!”

Adrien took the phone from her. She'd painted most of his face black, but his eyes and nose were painted white. She'd even given him a pink nose and whiskers. He felt silly and young and indescribable. “Marinette, how are you so amazing?” He asked.

She blushed and looked at her feet. “Oh, it wasn't such a big deal.” She covered her face with her hands. “I should go get changed. If anyone knocks on the door, just look before you let them in. I'll only be a few minutes.”

He nodded and she went behind a crate. After a few moments, he heard a knock at the door. He opened it enough to see through. Adrien saw a boy in a Scream mask. “Who are you?”

The person took off the mask. “I'm Nino. I'm the DJ. You the bouncer or something?”

Adrien opened the door the rest of the way. “No, just paranoid. Come on in.”

Nino nodded and went inside. “Did Marinette say where she wanted me to set up?”

“No, she didn't. But she should be done in a minute.” He said.

“Is that Nino?” Marinette shouted. She poked her head around the side. “Just pick an outlet and get set up. Uh, preferably one that doesn't give you a view of my hiding spot, please?” She ducked back around and the boys shrugged.

“So, you're a friend of Marinette's?” Adrien asked.

“Hmm? Oh, sort of.” He put his mask back on and pulled a black robe from his backpack. “We’re in the same grade, but we don't really talk.” He laughed. “But no way am I going to miss this party!”

He smiled. “I'm a little surprised. I wouldn't think people would get so excited about costume parties.”

“Are you kidding? Damn near everyone in school loves costume parties. We throw one every year. It might have been the only thing Chloé ever did right.” Before Adrien could respond, Marinette walked out from behind the crate. She wore a green minidress designed to look like leaves and green ballet flats with fuzz on the toes. Her hair was tied back into a bun. “Tinker Bell!” Nino shouted. In response, Marinette shook her hips. There were tiny bells inside her costume. “Oh my God, you jingle!”

Adrien felt a lump in his throat and found it hard to breathe. “You look awesome!” He managed to say, giving her a thumbs up. She blushed.

Someone knocked on the door. Marinette answered it. “Alya!” She exclaimed. She hugged the girl. She was dressed as Wonder Woman. “You look great! You do the Justice League proud.”

“You flatter me.” Alya said. “Where are your wings?”

If Marinette had known Adrien was a freak too, she would have unfolded her wings. But she didn't, so she lied. “I didn't want to take up so much room. Besides, I didn't feel like buying wire hangers and pantyhose.”

Alya nodded. “Who all is here?”

“Only the Scream and Chat Noir, so far.”

Alya waved to Nino and approached Adrien. “Hi. I'm Alya Césaire.”

“Adrien Agreste.” He shook her hand. “It's nice to meet you.”

A few more people arrived soon. Adrien met Juleka, dressed as Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Rose, dressed as Cinderella, Mylène, dressed as a mime and Alix, dressed as a roller derby star. People soon started pouring in faster. Kim was dressed as Superman and Max was Albert Einstein. Ivan was Fezzik from ‘the Princess Bride’, which Adrien had only watched about a million times. Nathanëal was Chucky from the ‘Friday the Thirteenth’ movies.

Eventually, there were too many people for Marinette to introduce him to. He recognized a few costumes, such as Storm and Batman. The music got louder, and the dancers got closer. Adrien joined the mob. It was his first party, and he was loving every second of it.

The music faded out. Nino shouted over the chatter. “Alright party people! We’re going to play our first slow dance of the night! Grab a partner or grab a seat!”

Adrien, exhausted, sat down. Marinette sat next to him. “Enjoying the party?” She asked.

“I'm loving it!” He said excitedly. “Thank you so much for inviting me.”

“I'm glad you could make it.” She crossed her legs in a ladylike way. “You should come to school with me next year. Then you'll get invited to lots of parties.”

Adrien sighed. “My father will never allow it.”

“So what?” Marinette shrugged. He looked at her in confusion. “You didn't ask your dad about this party, right? Seems like you're in the midst of a youthful rebellion anyway.”

He grinned. “I guess you're right!” He started to think. “I wonder how hard it'll be to apply to be a student?”

“I'll help you any way I can!”

The music started to pick back up. Alya flopped down on the floor and let out an excited scream. “Let's hear it for the party of the year!” She said. The mob screamed, and the dancing started again. “Hey, you two should dance together next time Nino plays a slow song so you won't be the only losers on the floor of shame!”

“Alya!” Marinette protested.

Adrien smiled at her. “I wouldn't mind. It's not a bad idea!” He grabbed her hand. “In fact, why wait?”

“No! I-I have two left feet!” She said. “I'm a really terrible dancer!”

“That's alright! I've got two right feet so together we have the perfect number!” He laughed as he dragged her out onto the dance floor.

She wasn't lying. Marinette really was a terrible dancer. Not that he was any better, to be honest. But as her hips moved and the bells jingled, he figured that it was less about being good than having fun. Adrien started to wave his arms, and he kept his eyes on Marinette.

He closed his eyes and continued to dance. He registered that he couldn't hear Marinette's bells but didn't think much of it until he bumped into someone. Adrien spun around to apologize and saw his father standing behind him. “Hi, Father!” He said with a wide, forced grin.

“Adrien, I called you nine times and you didn't respond.” Gabriel demanded. “What is on your face? What is going on here?”

“It's the…” Adrien looked at Marinette. She was torn between being excited to see Gabriel Agreste in the flesh and fear for what was about to come. “...end of the year costume party?”

“Do you have any idea how worried I was? I thought someone had kidnapped you!” His father said firmly. “How dare you come here without even consulting me!”

“Father, you never would have agreed to let me go!” Adrien argued.

“And yet you came anyway!” He looked at the other partiers. “Who is the host of this party?” Gabriel demanded.

Marinette moved to accept the blame. Alya stepped forward instead. “It's my fault. My father owns this warehouse but he had the contents shipped out. I'm having the party without his knowledge.” It was a complete lie. Alya’s biological father still lived in Martinique, and Marinette was fairly certain her stepfather didn't work in shipments.

“What is your name?”

“Regina Phalange.” Gabriel didn't seem to believe her. “It's American.”

He looked at Adrien. “Come on then, Adrien. You have a photoshoot in the morning and you have to wash this ridiculous paint off of your face. Furthermore, you are never to speak with Regina again.”

He turned around and left the warehouse. Adrien looked back at the students. Marinette looked heartbroken. “Sorry. I'll talk to you later.” He apologized. His eyes lingered too long on her before he followed his father. Almost as soon as Adrien closed the door, a slow song started. He couldn't describe the pain and guilt in his heart.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien ran his hands over the suit. It fit him perfectly, which made sense. Marinette said she'd made it with him in mind. That sweet sentiment was made a little weird when he considered how much time she had to spend thinking about his body for it to fit right.

Still, he appreciated how well it fit. He'd go on to personalize it some, but only because he’d decided his superhero name would be Chat Noir, and he wanted to look more catlike.

He walked out into the living room. Marinette was wearing her suit. It looked cute on her, and he said as much. “Thank you. Did you decide on an alias?”

“Chat Noir.” He grinned. She smiled back. She must not have remembered giving him that name all those years ago. “You?”

“Ladybug, I think. It suits me.” She looked at her prosthetic leg. It did hang a little strange, but not enough to be terribly noticeable. “Should I put padding or something around my leg?”

“If you do, it should only be to protect your prosthetic.” He looked at her for a moment. “Do you remember the end of the year costume party ten years ago?”

She thought for a moment. “Was that the one your dad crashed?” She snapped her fingers before he spoke. “It had to be, because you didn't go to the one after your dad got arrested.” She smiled at him again. “I remember a few bits and pieces.”

He grabbed his phone and scrolled through the music. He found a slow song he'd heard in a romcom and started to play it. Adrien grabbed her hands and pulled her closer. “Do you remember how we agreed to dance together but my father dragged me home before we could?” Her cheeks were redder than her costume, but Marinette nodded. “I never told you, but I always regretted not getting a chance to dance with you.”

Marinette pushed their bodies closer. Now it was his turn to blush. “You had plenty of opportunities to correct that.”

“Yes, I, the master of mental math and ‘Sailor Moon’ trivia and the son of a convicted serial rapist and murderer, was completely capable of asking a beautiful girl on a date.” He said with a smirk. She giggled in spite of herself. “Don't get me wrong, I wanted to. I just never was able to ask you out.”

She shook her head. “Well, at least I'm not the only awkward one around here.”

“Oh, no. But you're still way more awkward than I am.”

She laughed. “Shut up!” She said as she pushed on his face. They danced in the living room. Adrien was still terrible at dancing, but Marinette had taken ballroom dancing lessons when she was preparing for her wedding. “I should probably give you some pointers. If you're walking Juleka down the aisle, you'll also be her first dance at the reception.”

“I hadn't considered that.” Adrien said.

Marinette rolled her eyes. “Here, watch my feet.”

\---

-TEN YEARS AGO-

Adrien had fencing, Chinese lessons and a photoshoot planned that day, but he decided to skip them in favor of walking to Marinette's home. He was trying to spend as much time with her as possible. He felt so much happier around her. She was the only person in the world who had made him feel human.

While he hadn't known it just a few months earlier, he knew it now. Adrien Agreste had a crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

He kept walking despite the fact his head felt heavy. Marinette was in the bakery, helping her parents. She'd been grounded for sneaking out to go to the costume party. But, she supposedly ungrounded today, and he wanted to go to a movie with her.

Marinette handed a customer a bag. “Thank you, and have a great day!” She said. Her eyes lit up when she saw Adrien. She waved at him excitedly. “Hi! What are you doing here?”

He was having a hard time concentrating. “I heard that you were ungrounded starting today, and I wanted to spend time with you.” Sabine smiled, and Tom made thumbs up at Marinette. “Is it okay for you to leave?”

She looked at her parents, who nodded. “Yeah! Let me just get changed and we’ll go!” Marinette dashed up the stairs. Adrien spoke with her parents while he waited. His head was pounding. She slid down the banister and smiled at him. “Let's go!”

He was having a hard time keeping his balance. Not now. Not now. No, it was happening now. “Marinette, I think… I think I'm about to pass out.”

She recoiled. “What? Oh, my God, you need to sit down!” She reached for her phone.

“Wait. You can't… you can't take me to the hospital. If you do, my dad will know I skipped my lessons.” Adrien protested.

“Don't be stupid. You should go!” Marinette argued. He didn't respond as his vision grew dark. He fell.

Adrien woke up on the daybed in Marinette's bedroom. His head was still pounding, and he was having a hard time moving. Marinette was at her computer desk, drawing in her design book. “Marinette?”

She looked up. “You're awake!” She cried out. She ran to the trap door and called down. “Mom! He's awake!”

“I'm sorry to make you worry about me.” Adrien apologized.

“Don't be sorry. It isn't your fault.” She said.

Sabine climbed up the ladder with a plate of croissants. “Marinette, will you go help your father?” She asked. Marinette nodded. Sabine and Adrien were alone in her room. “How do you feel?”

“Awful. I'm so sorry.” He said with a deep frown.

“You gave us quite a shock.” She offered him the croissants. He took one. It was delicious, so he ate three more. “Eat as many as you want. There's plenty more.” She thought for a moment. “What have you eaten today?”

Adrien thought for a moment. “Uh…”

Sabine was quiet. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

The song started to fade out, so Adrien grabbed it before it shuffled to something embarrassing. Which described about eighty-five percent of his music tastes. The other fifteen percent was Jagged Stone.

Marinette pulled him closer. She kissed him, standing on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. He held the small of her back. She loved him so much. Holding him, kissing him felt so right, she wondered why they hadn't gotten together sooner.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

“Adrien?” Nathalie poked her head into his bedroom. He was studying for an upcoming chemistry test. He looked up at her. “It's time for your weigh in.”

He grimaced. Weigh ins happened twice a month, at they were the worst. “Please don't make me do this.” He pleaded.

She frowned. “It isn't my call.”

“Weigh ins are humiliating.” Adrien argued. “They make me feel terrible about myself.”

Nathalie nodded. “I agree with you. I think that it's unnecessary. But if I let you skip this, your father will be angry with both of us.” She straightened her posture. “And you're already walking a thin line with him right now.”

A few days ago, Adrien had snapped at his father. He'd said some hurtful things, and while he felt awful about them, he refused to apologize. Gabriel had threatened to pull him out of school for the things he said. So, with that in mind, Adrien stood and followed Nathalie to his father’s private bathroom.

Gabriel stared at him with appraising eyes. Adrien took off his shoes and stepped onto the scale, trying to avoid his eyes. “Forty-nine kilograms.” Nathalie reported, scribbling the number on her clipboard.

Oh, no. “How did you gain two kilograms in two weeks?” Gabriel asked.

“I'm a growing boy, Father. I was bound to start putting on weight eventually.” He said as he stepped off the scale. Never mind that forty-nine kilograms was underweight for a boy his height, anyway.

“Nathalie?”

She sighed. “Adrien has been spending fewer lunches here and more with Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Her parents own a bakery.” She said. Adrien frowned at her. “He is likely eating their desserts.”

“You know you aren't allowed to eat sugar, Adrien.” Gabriel said sharply. “And bread is very fattening.”

He frowned deeper. “I know, but--”

“I'm trying to protect you. What if the media catches wind that you've gained weight? They'll burn you alive!”

Burning. Would that hurt more or less that cutting? Adrien blinked. He'd have to start sleeping with a night light because that thought was way too dark. “What do you want me to do, Father?”

“I want you to go on a diet, for one.” God, not this again. “And secondly, you are forbidden from ever going to Marinette's home ever again.”

He recoiled. “Father! Marinette is my best friend! I can't just cut her out of my life like that!” Gabriel didn't budge. “How am I supposed to explain that to her?” His father took his phone and found Marinette's number. He opened it and handed it back to him. “What do you want me to do?”

“Call her. Tell her that you can't go to her house anymore.” He couldn't believe what he was hearing. “I want to hear you do it, Adrien.”

It was, at the time, the hardest thing he ever had to do. He called her. She picked up almost too quickly. “Hi, Adrien! What's up?”

“Marinette, I have some bad news.” He said, shaking.

“That doesn't sound good. Are you alright?” She asked.

No. “I'm fine. I'm just…” He took a deep breath. “Marinette, I'm not allowed to go to your house anymore.”

There was silence from the other end. “What?”

“My father doesn't want me going over to your house. I've started to put on weight, and he…”

“Adrien, that's crazy. He's crazy. We’re best friends!” Marinette argued. “You can't just stop coming to see me.”

“We’ll still see each other in school.”

“Your dad is crazy. You put on a little weight and now you can't see me? That's insane. Totally crazy.” That was the first time anyone had told him that what his father did was strange. He had some vague understanding that it was abnormal but no one had ever confirmed it. “It's wrong.”

“I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow.” Adrien hung up.

He spent the rest of the night uncomfortable. When he went to school the next day, Marinette had left a bag of baked goods on his desk. He turned and smiled at her. She truly was an amazing, wonderful person, and he was completely, head over heels in love with her.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

But it was a pointless question. They both knew the answer. Marinette had left the Agreste mansion physically and mentally scarred. She was broken and their love, no matter how true and right it felt, would never fix those cracks. Adrien’s scars may have been self inflicted, but he had spent most of his life terrified he would become his father. It hadn't just kept him from confessing to Marinette. It had kept him isolated from everyone. He hadn't even been out on a date.

But they loved each other. And it was obvious that they had for a long time.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

School was out for the day. Adrien walked to the hospital to visit Marinette. She'd been moved out of emergency and now had a regular hospital room. Before he went up, he stopped by the gift shop to get her flowers. He considered roses, but felt that would be inappropriate. He bought chrysanthemums.

She was awake, her eyes raised slightly to watch the television. She looked at him when he entered. Marinette smiled at him, but it was weak. The outline of her body under the covers was strange. That was expected. After all, her leg had been amputated just below her knee. “Hi, Adrien.” She said weakly. What was it about hospitals that made people so quiet?

“Hey, Marinette. I bought you some flowers.” He said, showing them to her.

“Oh, they're beautiful.” She said, taking them from him. She smelled them and then placed them on the side table. Marinette looked at them for a long time.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

She was quiet for a moment. “Better. The doctors say that I might get released soon.”

His face lit up. “That's great news!”

“Calm down, kitty. It won't be for a few days, and I won't go back to school right away either.” She said. “But I'm excited too. I really, really hate hospitals.”

“Who doesn't?” He asked.

Adrien looked down at his hands. His arm was bandaged. Marinette watched him nurse his arm. Underneath, she was sure there were more scars. She remembered his arm, wet and bloody, and she felt like crying. “How are you holding up, Adrien?”

He shivered. “I just learned that my father is a serial killer who murdered at least thirteen teenaged girls.” He covered his face with his hands. When he looked up, he had tears in his eyes. “I'm not fine. I'm not okay.” He started crying. “Marinette!”

Marinette reached over and held his hand. She adjusted and bid him to sit on her bed. She struggled to find words. “What happened in school today?”

He rubbed his eyes. “Word got out that you were found alive. Everyone is really relieved, but I think they're scared of me now.”

“You didn't do anything wrong.”

“So what? I share his blood. That's all it takes sometimes.”

She didn't respond. “How much work am I missing?”

“You missed an entire unit in physics, and Madame Mendeleiev isn't going to give you a pass on it. I can tutor you, if you want.” He said. “But Monsieur Damocles and Mademoiselle Bustier will probably say you don't have to worry about it.”

“I was abducted for two weeks and Mendeleiev isn't giving me a pass?” Adrien nodded. “Bitch.”

He laughed. “The class is making you a get well card. Rose and Alya will probably give it to you when you get back.”

“Get well, huh?” She said. He nodded again. “I hope I get well, too.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

The kiss broke reluctantly but mutually. “We should probably get out of these suits until we’re ready to actually hunt down my father.” Adrien said.

Marinette blushed. “You know what?” She said with a grin. She pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I was about to suggest the same thing.”

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked with a chuckle.

She sighed, but she didn't seem annoyed. She kissed him again. Marinette moved and kissed his neck. He gasped and took a step back. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--” She apologized.

“No, it's fine!” He said, a grin on his face. “I just wasn't expecting it.”

“You don't have to do this.” Marinette said. “I don't want to put pressure on you.”

“I mean it. I'm good.” Adrien reassured her. He closed the distance between them. He held her waist and kissed her again. She moved and kissed his neck once more, delighting in the short breaths he took.

\---

-SEVEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette rushed into the hospital. She ran up to the receptionist and asked what room Adrien was in. He had been moved out of emergency and into the regular hospital. She ran to the elevator, shifting her weight between nervously. Why did this elevator take so long?

The doors opened and she ran out. Her phone buzzed. Lila had texted her, concern obvious in them. Marinette ignored them. She got directions and found Adrien’s room.

He was lying very still. But he was awake. When he saw her, his hand flew to his neck. She started to cry when she saw him. “Adrien!” She shouted. She ran to his side and collapsed. She held him tighter than she'd ever held anything and sobbed into his scrubs.

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry. God, Marinette, I am so, so sorry.” Adrien said, holding onto her as if his life depended on it. He held her as she cried.

She eventually let up. “I hate hospitals. I hate them.” She whispered into his shirt.

“I know you do. I'm sorry.” He said quietly.

“No, stop apologizing.” She said as she pulled the chair closer.

“Sorry.” Adrien grimaced. “Sorry. I'll… just stop.”

Marinette rubbed her eyes. “What happened? You've been doing so well.”

He sighed. “I don't know, Marinette. I don't always have a reason when things go to shit.” He shrugged and looked out the window. “I woke up this morning, and I thought today would be a nice day to die.”

“I understand that you mask your pain with humor, but right now isn't the best time for anything but those cat puns you like so much.” Marinette said sharply. Her phone buzzed. “God! Stop bugging me for one second, Lila.”

“Why is she texting you?”

“We're dating, Adrien.”

“I know that. Why is she texting you right now?”

She sighed. She read the texts. “She wants to know if you're here… because of her.” She looked up at him.

Adrien had felt worse about himself ever since Lila entered their lives. But was he there because of her? After all, she was dating the love of his life.

“No,” he said honestly, “Lila isn't why I'm here. I'm here because I'm depressed. It doesn't have anything to do with you, or her, or anyone else.”

She sent Lila an update. “You know how much I care about you, right?” She asked. He nodded. “Because I do. I care about you. So much.”

“You don't have to stay with me. I know you don't really want to be here.”

“I'm not going anywhere.”


	9. An Act of God

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Tom and Sabine treat Adrien like the son they never had.

-NINE YEARS AGO-

“We’re looking for a white man in his early to mid forties.” The detective said. Adrien was watching the news, hoping for any sign of Marinette. Federal agents had gotten involved in her case. The Pale was public enemy number one. She was delivering his profile. “He is authoritative and cold. He wants to watch these girls suffer. He is likely working alone. If he has accomplices, they're not equals in the relationship.” Adrien scribbled the profile down on his tablet. “You may not see anything suspicious when you speak to him. He may be charming, but you will feel threatened in his presence.

“We call this type of offender an anger excitation rapist.” Adrien’s breath caught on the word but he kept writing. “He is organized and nonsocial. He is independent and controlling to the point of obsession. He is highly skilled and intelligent.

“He may or may not have a family with children. If he does, they may not be aware of what he's done. But he does have a space to keep his victims and completely control them.” The detective put her hands on the podium. “If you have any information to give, please don't hesitate to inform the police. Marinette doesn't have much time left.”

She got off the stage. Adrien turned his TV off and looked over his notes. “Adrien, you've become very withdrawn lately.” Nathalie said as she approached him.

He hadn't heard her enter. “I'm worried about Marinette. My hunch was right. She was kidnapped by the Pale.” He said.

She was quiet for a moment. “You still have your studies to attend to.”

“I’ll take care of them later.” Adrien said as he ran his hands through his hair.

“You’ll take care of them now.” She said, pushing his books closer to him.

“No. I’m going to help the police search for Marinette.” He stood and tried to push past her. Nathalie blocked his path. “Let me go, Nathalie.”

She shook her head. “You won’t be any help to the police. Furthermore, your father would disapprove if he knew that you were out when you should be studying.”

In a moment of rare defiance, his father’s opinion didn’t stop him. “I don’t care. Marinette is my best friend, and I have to… I have to…” He rubbed his eyes. “They have to find her. They can’t let her die!”

“You’re being irrational.” Nathalie said flatly. “The Pale has done this for a very long time. The police have tried, and failed, to stop him for a very long time.” She wouldn’t touch him, but she continued to obstruct his path. “There is nothing about Marinette worth saving.”

Adrien couldn’t even process what she’d said. He felt the tears start rolling down his face. “Marinette is the only thing worth saving!” He argued.

“There will be other Marinettes.” Nathalie said.

“Why are you saying these things?” Adrien demanded.

“Because you’re delusional. Only one thing could save Marinette now, and that is an act of God.” She looked at his books. “Do your homework. I have things to do, but I’ll check up on you in an hour.”

He watched her leave. She closed the door behind him. He logged onto his computer, staring at his mother’s smiling face for a long time. Alya and Nino texted him, asking if he had heard the profile. He looked over the pages he’d read about the Pale, and then he continued to think. As he read, he kept thinking about Marinette.

Marinette couldn’t die. She was too important to die. She was too young, too talented, too amazing to die. Adrien daydreamed about finding her. The first thing he was going to do when he saw her again was tell her that he loved her.

But he kept thinking. No, Nathalie was right. They weren’t going to find Marinette. The Pale was too good at what he did. She was going to die. Marinette was going to be found dead, dropped somewhere with scars on her back and a stab wound through her heart. And if Marinette was dead, why was he alive? Why did he get to live when the only person worth living for was dead?

Adrien started researching how to kill himself. 

\---

Adrien walked into the mansion. School was out for the day, but he still wasn’t able to concentrate. His mind kept wandering to Marinette, and he sighed. When he opened the door, he saw Nathalie scrubbing the foyer floor. “Nathalie? Why are you scrubbing the floor?”

Nathalie looked up. “Adrien!” She exclaimed. She wiped her forehead. In front of her was a red stain, wet and soapy. “I must have lost track of time. I… spilled red dye that your father asked for.”

He got on his knees and offered to help her clean. “Here, let me help you.”

“No!” She shouted. He recoiled. She seemed panicked, and it was scary to see her so freaked out. “I mean… you have homework to do. I’ll finish up here. You get started.”

He frowned but nodded. Adrien went into the dining room and started on his homework. He tried to finish it, but he couldn’t focus. He left the room. Nathalie was still scrubbing the floor. He went up to his room and sat on his couch, his face buried in his hands. He wasn’t aware of how long he sat there. He was barely aware of the passing of time.

This was her next to last day. She’d have tomorrow, and then he’d kill her. God, Adrien couldn’t even think. They had failed. Everyone had failed. Marinette was going to die, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

He hated it. He hated the Pale and the police and himself. She’d been gone for twelve days, gone without a trace. His guilt and mourning had collided with his self-loathing, and everything wrong with his life fused into an Eldritch abomination. There was no way out. No light, no savior, nothing. There was no other way.

Adrien found the cords. He tied them in the way he’d seen online. Then he found a place to hang it. It wasn’t high enough to snap his neck, but Nathalie didn’t usually check up on him this late, and his father was likely already in bed. Besides, he didn’t care if he suffered in his last moments. Bitterly, he felt it would be better if he did.

He dragged his computer chair over to the noose. He climbed up onto it and pulled the noose over his head. “In case God doesn’t act.” He muttered. Then he kicked the chair out from under him.

Adrien fell, and as he hung there, he couldn’t think of anything but how much pain he was in. He didn’t know how long he was there, but it wasn’t long enough. He fell and hit the floor with a loud ‘thud’.

He was shocked. He looked at the cords. The website had said that they shouldn’t come untied. He looked at the cords around his neck and then up at the ones hanging from the pipe. None of them had snapped; it was as if someone had untied them. Adrien flushed when his father burst into the room. What was he still doing up? How had he known to come in?

“Adrien.” His father breathed.

“I’m tired of this.” Adrien said. He stood, and for the first time in his life, he didn’t hold back his emotions. “I hate this! I hate myself! I wish I had never been born!” He started to pace, his hands tearing at his hair. “I can’t do this! She was the only person who made my life bearable and now she’s gone!”

“Son…” Gabriel said sadly.

“Don’t call me that!” He screamed. “I don’t want to be your son! I don’t want to exist! I just want to leave!” He pretended that the tears weren’t rolling down his face. “This is too much! I can’t do this! I CAN’T DO THIS!”

He screamed for a long time, his words incoherent. Gabriel waited for him to finish. He waited for his son to stop screaming, for his face to calm, for his voice to crack and to slow to heavy breathing. Then he hugged him. Gabriel held Adrien for a long time, refusing to let go. “You can do this. And you won’t have to do it alone.” He said reassuringly.

Adrien couldn’t process that for a moment. He started sobbing, and he fell to his knees. His father fell with him, not letting him go.

Nathalie was ordered to take Adrien to therapy. When morning came, Adrien got ready and went to school like nothing had happened. When he went into class, Nino saw the mark on his neck. “Dude! What happened to your neck?”

He traced the scar. With a forced smile, he looked at Nino. “Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien woke slowly. Marinette was snuggled against him, her hair messy and her face relaxed. He smiled, weaving his fingers into her hair. He pulled her closer and nuzzled his face into her shoulder. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

“Tom, don't touch that. This isn't our house.” Sabine said.

Adrien's eyes snapped open. “Oh, no no no no no. What are they doing here?” He panicked. He looked around and grabbed his boxers from the floor. He checked to make sure Marinette was still sleeping before running out into the living room. He slipped on the hallway rug and slid. Adrien flinched before opening his eyes. “Hi, Monsieur Dupain and Madame Cheng!” He said with a grin.

Tom and Sabine stared at him. “Are you alright there, son?” Tom asked.

“Super duper!” Adrien lied. He shot up. “Uh, what are you doing here? And… how did you get in?”

Sabine smiled at him, but there was concern in her eyes. “We heard about your father, Adrien. We’re worried about you.”

“Marinette said that you called her. Why did you come to visit me?”

“You won't answer our calls!” She argued. That was true. After Marinette had moved out of her parents’ home to live with Lila, Adrien hadn't spoken to them much. After all, why would he? They weren't his parents, as much as he wished they were. He barely spoke to anyone from his past. He had always thought that not talking to them would ease their suffering, that they wouldn't be reminded of what Gabriel had done if they didn't have to see or hear him.

“We were going to wait for you, but Nino opened the door for us.” Tom explained. “He said to call Alya when you got the chance.”

Adrien wondered if Alya had learned anything from his mother’s grimoire. “I will.”

Sabine laughed. “We want to talk to you. You may want to put some clothes on, dear.” She suggested.

“Right! Right, I will definitely go do exactly that!” He laughed and backed out of the living room. He ducked inside his bedroom, breathing hard.

“Good morning, my kitty.” Marinette cooed. Adrien spun around. “Where did you run off to?” She asked.

She looked so beautiful. Her hair was still messy, and there was lingering exhaustion on her face. But she was smiling so beautifully, and her hair had fallen in front of her face. He wanted to sweep it away to stare into her gorgeous blue eyes.

But her fucking parents were in his living room! “Adrien?” Marinette asked. “What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost. And after what we've been through lately, I'd believe it.”

He scrambled to gather his clothes and his thoughts. “You! No! Do not! I-I-I…” He got an idea. Adrien dressed quickly and then ran to his window. He grabbed her prosthetic leg and threw it out the window. “Do not move!” He said as he rushed for his door.

Marinette looked offended. “Adrien!” She scolded.

“Don't move!” He said again. He ran back out to the living room with a grin on his face. “Hi! I'm back!” He said.

“You didn't have to rush. We aren't going anywhere.” Sabine said.

“Did I hear you talking to someone?” Tom asked.

Adrien couldn't think for a moment. He noted that Plagg was in his office, which was near his bedroom. “My cat!” He said. “I was talking to my cat! He's an asshole!”

“I thought I heard someone else, too.”

He tried to hide the panic on his face. “Sometimes I pretend to be him and talk back to myself.” He said. That wasn't a complete lie. But the voice he used for Plagg was different than Marinette's voice.

“I do the same thing to dogs. And babies but mostly dogs.” Sabine admitted. “But we didn't come here to talk to you about your cat.”

“We came here to ask you a question.” Tom said. Adrien felt the color run from his face. “Is your father going to go after Marinette?”

He didn't know what to say. The truth, he figured. “Yes.” Sabine took a sharp breath in and covered her face. “But Marinette, Nino, Alya and I… we’re working on a plan to stop him.” He twisted his Dragon Aura. “He's not going to hurt her again. Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“You're trying to save her again.” Tom said, but Adrien couldn't place his emotion.

“Marinette can save herself.” He said. “But my father is my responsibility.”

As if on cue, Marinette walked into the room. She had pulled a shirt over her head, but she was otherwise totally naked. Adrien tried to communicate with her to go back to his bedroom. “You had better have a pretty good reason for throwing my leg into the yard.” She said. He kicked himself for forgetting her telekinesis.

He laughed nervously. “Your parents are here.”

Marinette froze. It was too late to turn around. She was already in the living room. She looked at her parents, who in turn stared at her. Tom spoke first. “Marinette, this may not be the best time to tell you this, but I want you to carry on the Dupain family tradition of naming your firstborn son Thomas.”

She took a deep breath. “Why didn't you just say my parents were here?”

“I was panicking.” Adrien said.

“I'm going to…” She sighed. “I'm going to get dressed.” She covered her face with her hands and walked away.

Adrien wanted to just disappear. But instead, he forced a grin and looked at her parents. They were uncomfortable, but not upset. “Adrien, we aren't going to yell at you.” Sabine said. “You and Marinette are adults, you've known each other for a decade, and you trust each other. This is natural.”

He grew tense. “How is you being okay with this somehow more uncomfortable than you screaming at me?”

“I will admit that this is weird.” Tom nodded as Marinette reentered the room. “But Sabine is right. We’re glad that she has someone, and we’re glad that it's you.”

“Also, pay up, Dupain! Twenty euros, right now.” Sabine said. Tom reached into his wallet and gave his wife a twenty.

Adrien blinked. “Wait. Did you bet on us?” He asked.

Marinette folded her arms. “You don't gamble.”

“Betting against your father is not gambling.” Sabine said defensively. “It's an investment.”

“Hey!” Tom protested.

“What was the bet?” Marinette demanded.

Sabine sighed. “We made it a few years ago. Your father bet me that you'd hook up before you were thirty. I bet you'd hook up before you were twenty-five.”

“Mom, I was supposed to get married.”

“We made this bet when you were engaged, sweetheart. This was inevitable.” Tom laughed. Marinette sighed.

Sabine’s eyes dimmed. “Oh, Nadja asked me to tell you that she wants you to have Manon’s toys.” She pulled a rabbit out of her purse.

Marinette’s back grew stiff. “Oh.” She said sadly. “That's very kind of her.” In all the commotion that had gone on the past week, Marinette hadn't gotten a chance to properly mourn for Manon. She took the rabbit. “Did… I miss the funeral?” She asked as she looked at the toy.

“Yes.” Tom said. “It was a couple of days ago. Nadja understands why you stayed home.”

“We all do.” Sabine agreed.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Marinette was trying her best to get caught up in French. She'd missed much of the reading, and while she could read quickly, she would have to do a report on it soon. She shuddered to think about going in front of her class.

“Marinette!” A young voice called. She looked at the trap door. Nadja and Manon Chamack stood on the ladder. Manon ran up and jumped onto her lap. She sat weird, making Marinette's stump hurt. “I brought you my favorite teddy to make you better!” Manon said, offering her a well loved stuffed rabbit.

“Thank you so much, Manon. I feel better already.” She said, hugging her. She looked at Nadja. “It's nice of you to visit me.”

Nadja smiled, but it vanished. “I wish it were a social call, Marinette. But it isn't.” She faked a smile and looked at Manon. “Sweetie, how about you go downstairs and see if Uncle Tom will give you a cookie?”

She hugged Marinette tightly. “I want to stay with Marinette!”

“Marinette will be here when you get back.” Nadja reasoned. Manon reluctantly climbed downstairs. Her mother pushed her hair back and sat on the daybed. “Marinette, I already spoke to your parents, and they say that this is up to you.”

“What is?” She asked.

She took a deep breath. “I want to interview you. The trial is over, but people are dying to hear you tell your story.” Nadja motioned with her hands. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the girl who survived the Pale.”

She blinked. “You want me to go on national television and tell people about what Gabriel Agreste did to me?”

“Yes. Your name is on everyone’s lips.”

“What about Adrien? He lived with the man.”

Nadja sighed. “Adrien isn't talking to the press. Understandably. A lot of people think he was complacent in his father’s actions.” She shifted. “Besides, you were his victim. Your story is much more interesting.”

Marinette thought for a moment. “Can you give me some time to consider it? The wounds are still fresh, figuratively and literally.” She asked.

“Of course, dear. Take all the time you need. But I need an answer by Friday.” Nadja stood and left the room.

Marinette was left alone with her thoughts. She grabbed her phone and called Adrien. “Hey, this is Adrien. Leave a message after the beep.”

“Hi Adrien. It's Marinette. I really need to talk to you. Call me back when you can.” She said. She hung up.

“Marinette, your friend Lila is here!” Sabine called up.

“God.” Marinette sighed, leaning her head back. “Okay! I'm in my room!”

Lila was in her room within moments. “Hey, Marinette. I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by.” She looked at the rabbit on her lap. “Oh, what a cute teddy!” She said.

“Hi, Lila. It's nice to see you.” She sighed again. “Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind.”

“A penny for your thoughts?” She suggested.

“Oh. Nadja Chamack wants to interview me, but--”

Lila held up her hands. “Whoa. Nadja Chamack? The Nadja Chamack? Hit reporter for TVi’s news?” Marinette nodded. “You have to do it! You'd be on television!” She paused. “Wait, why does she want to interview you? Did you win some contest?”

“No. Don't patronize me, Lila.”

“I'm not?” She said, confused.

Marinette blinked. “Oh. Do you… do you really not know? I find it hard to believe no one told you.”

“Just tell me. I hate guessing games!”

“Do you remember the Pale case? The serial rapist and murderer? I was one of his victims. His last one.” Lila’s eyes grew wide. “I escaped and now that he's in prison, Nadja wants me to share my story.” She sighed. “I don't feel comfortable doing that without talking to Adrien first.”

“Well, good luck getting through to him today. He said something about being put into foster care today.” Lila said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Why would you need to talk to him?”

Marinette hesitated. “The Pale is Gabriel Agreste. Adrien’s father.” She explained. “He helped me escape, and he testified against his father. I don't think it would be right to do this without telling him.”

“Oh, my God.” She struggled to find words. “And you're… still friends with him?”

“He's my best friend, Lila.” Marinette said. “And he's important to me.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Marinette's parents had left. She sat on the couch, holding Manon’s rabbit. “Manon was a terror. She was loud and rambunctious and she loved to get into mischief.” She said as Adrien sat next to her. He wrapped his arms around her. “But she was so sweet. We remained close even after she grew too old to need a babysitter every Sunday.”

“Are you okay?” Adrien asked.

“No. She’s dead because of me.”

“She’s not dead because of you. She’s dead because of my father.” He said. “Her death is not your fault, okay? It’s not your fault.”

Marinette sighed. “I want him gone, Adrien. I never want to have to deal with this ever again.”

“We’ll stop him.” He agreed. “But never dealing with this again? That’s a tall order.”

She held the rabbit against her heart and leaned against him. “I know.” She started to cry. “Manon… she wanted to be the flower girl at our wedding. I… I told her that it wasn’t going to be anything huge. That we wouldn’t need a flower girl…” She rubbed her eyes. “I should have said yes.”

\---

Alya looked at Volpina’s webpage. She was sure that she got lots of requests for help in terms of mercenary work, but she was also certain that Volpina would help them. She looked at the photo gallery, looking at various victories she'd had over the years. Volpina never let people get too close to her face. And yet, as Alya looked, she seemed familiar.

“Hey, Alya. I delivered the message like you said.” Nino said as he entered her office.

Alya turned. “Thanks. What did they say?”

“Oh, they weren't home. I left the message with Marinette's parents.” He said with a shrug.

“You idiot! Marinette is agoraphobic! They wouldn't leave his house unless they were attacked there!” Alya scolded. She rolled her eyes. “Why wouldn't they answer the door?” She was quiet. “Are you thinking… what I'm thinking?”

“If it's ‘they fucked’, then probably. But it isn't our business.” Nino said.

She grinned. “Come on! Aren't you a little curious?”

“No.”

Alya frowned. “Fine. But I'm happy for them.”

“You hate Adrien.”

“Yes, but I am one hundred percent for whatever gets Marinette laid, and this ended a near six year long dry streak.”

Nino laughed. Adrien could top that. “What are you looking at?”

Alya looked back at her computer. “I'm looking to hire Volpina. But she looks familiar…”

Nino leaned over and looked at the photo. His eyes grew wide. “Alya. Alya, that's Lila Rossi!” He said. Her jaw dropped. She was in shock. He was right. That was Lila! Lila was Volpina? It didn't make sense, but at the same time, it did. Lila was a compulsive liar, and she wanted the admiration of people. She just didn't seem like the heroic type. Alya typed up an email and found Volpina’s contact page. She started to copy down her email address. “Alya, what are you doing?”

“If there is one person in the world who would murder someone for threatening to hurt Marinette, it's Lila.” She said.

Nino grabbed her shoulders. “Listen to me. If you hire Marinette's abusive ex fiancée to murder a man she already told you she doesn't want dead, she will never forgive you.” He said. He stared into Alya’s eyes.

She looked at him and then the email. She sighed. “You're right. We’ll do it their way, for now.” Alya said as she deleted the email.

“Thank you, Alya.” Nino said with a smile. “This is the right thing to do.”

“I'm not convinced of that.” She said sharply. “But I love Marinette too much to hurt her like this.”

“We all do.” He said. He hugged her.


	10. Preemptive Strike

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which it's a trap!

Marinette had calmed down some, so Adrien called Alya. He was expecting news on his mother’s grimoire, but it was much different. “Do you know someone named Donna Bissette?” She asked. He said that he did. Donna was one of his coworkers, a genuinely sweet woman of good moral standing. “She just reported her daughter Miriam missing. I got a picture of her to put on my show. She’s his type.” Alya sighed. “And since you know her mother, maybe even her, then it makes sense that he’d kidnap her.”

“He is back for revenge, after all.” Adrien admitted. He covered his face with his hands. He remembered how distraught Sabine and Tom had been when Marinette was missing. He could only think that Donna felt the same. “Alright. Even if he didn’t kidnap her, it’s worth trying to rescue her if we can.”

“Alright. Nino and I will meet you at the address I text you after dark. Bring Marinette, wear the costumes she made.” She instructed. She hung up and Adrien sighed.

He found Marinette reading on the couch. “Marinette, we have a lead. My father may have kidnapped someone else.”

She looked up. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Let’s go find her.” She said as she stood. They changed into their supersuits, and Adrien grabbed weapons from his basement. He tucked a bo staff into his belt. Marinette took a lightweight shortsword, mostly for protection. Then they got into Adrien’s car and drove to the meeting point.

When Adrien parked, Marinette offered him a black mask. “Take this. We might have to do some things that aren’t exactly legal to find this girl.” She put on her own. It matched her suit. “Our identities are precious.” He nodded. He took his glasses off, tucked them in his pocket and put his mask on.

They got out of the car. Marinette stood close to him, still uncomfortable being out in the open. Adrien reached over and held her hand, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand. She smiled at him. They sat down and waited for the others to arrive.

Nino and Alya had also carpooled. Alya drove a silver car, about two years old. They wore costumes as well. Nino’s resembled Deadpool’s suit, a character he’d admired since their powers were remarkably similar, though the red was blue and his mask only covered his eyes. Alya’s was black, like Adrien’s, but it had white details and she’d wrapped a belt around her hips to hold her wand and the grimoire. Marinette admitted to Adrien as they walked towards them that she’d made Alya’s suit a long time ago, and when the four came together, she promised to make Nino’s as soon as she’d made the indestructible fabric in blue.

“Do you have a plan?” Adrien asked.

Alya nodded. “I found a locater spell in your mother’s grimoire. If I can get something personal of Miriam’s, I can use it to find her.” She explained. She saw a flash of excitement in Adrien’s eyes. “I know what you’re thinking. If you want me to try to find your mother’s exact location, I need something that belonged to her that her soul left an impression on. And the grimoire won’t count, since you gave it to me as a gift.” She sighed sadly. “That’s how the magical world views ownership contracts.”

He nodded. “I see.” He was quiet for a moment. “It doesn’t matter right now. The important thing is that we find Miriam.” He pointed down the road. “Donna and her family live in that direction. We can find something that you can use there.”

“Do you really think Miriam’s mom is going to let three freaks and a witch in multicolored undies into her house at…” Nino looked at his watch. “Eleven o’clock at night?”

“I guess not. We did not think this through.” Adrien said flatly.

Marinette laughed. “This is great. I haven’t done anything crazy like this since university.”

Alya grinned. “Remember all of the shit we got into? University was great.”

“It really was.” Adrien agreed.

Nino looked at all of them. “Are you all fucking insane? University sucked!” He said sharply. “Have you all forgotten about how bad our lives sucked in university? It was a couple of years ago!”

“What are you talking about?” Alya asked.

“You don’t remember? You really don’t remember? Well, I do, so let me remind you.” He said. In turn, he pointed at them. “You were engaged to a woman who beat you. You had three separate suicide attempts, one of which resulted in you flatlining for four minutes. You were on crack.” He pointed at himself. “I joined a cult! University sucked!”

“Alright, we get it.” Adrien said, putting up his hands.

“I am not finished.” Nino said. “Max got chemical burns all over his face, both of Juleka’s dads died, Rose got disowned, Kim was in the hospital for a month because he trained so hard he forgot to eat, Nathanëal nearly died in the same crack house you went to, Alix was in a coma for two months after crashing her car into a statue, Ivan and Mylène’s son got cancer and died, Chloé unwittingly ended a ten year marriage and Sabrina got the shit kicked out of her by some white guy who thought Jesus sent him to kill Muslims!” He looked up at the sky as he shouted, “University fucking sucked!”

“We get it, we get it!” Alya said. “Come on, let’s just go. We have to find Miriam soon. Gabriel might not wait the whole fourteen days now that people are actively searching for him.”

They started down the road. Adrien pointed out the Bissette home when they reached it, and they snuck around the back. “Do you happen to know which room is Miriam’s?” Nino asked.

“No. God. Why would I know that?” Adrien demanded.

“Well, only one way to find out.” Alya said. “Marinette, you fly up there and check the windows.”

Marinette laughed awkwardly. “I guess I forgot to tell you that my wings ripped, huh?” She said with a crooked grin. Alya seemed shocked. “We’ll talk about it later. I’ll figure something out.” She spotted a trash can and climbed up onto it. She used her telekinesis to lift herself up and peaked inside the windows. She looked in a couple before she forced open the window and rolled inside. She was inside for a few minutes, and then she floated down. She gave Alya a locked book. “It looks like this is her diary. What would have more of her soul than her most private thoughts?”

“We are not going to read the diary of a fifteen year old girl.” Adrien said flatly. “We are not twelve.”

“I wasn’t suggesting that we read it!” Marinette said. “I was just saying that her soul would totally be in her writing!”

“Marinette is right. This is perfect.” Alya said. She took the diary and held out her wand. “Lux quaerere.” The diary started to glow, and the light lifted up. A vision appeared in the light, and they tried to figure out where it was. “A little less specific than I thought it would be.”

Adrien groaned. “You have to be kidding me. He is just plain fucking with us now.”

“You recognize this place?” Nino asked.

“Yeah, how do you guys not?” He asked. “That’s the warehouse where we had the party all those years ago.”

“Come on, Adrien. We’ve been to so many parties. We can’t be expected to remember every single one.” Alya argued.

“It was the party we met at! You honestly don’t remember how we met?”

She thought for a while. “It’s vague. Come on. It was ten years ago.” Alya waved her wand, and the vision disappeared. She threw the diary up through the open window. “Do you still remember where that warehouse is?”

“Of course I do.” Adrien said with a grin.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

The Gorilla dropped Adrien off in front of the school. He ran inside, rushing up the stairs to his class. He dragged Nino and Alya out into the hall. They ducked below the windows so the other students couldn’t see them. “What’s going on?” Alya asked.

“I was doing some research last night on the details of Marinette’s disappearance. It all points to a serial killer that the police named the Pale.” Adrien said. He showed them a link on his phone. “Look, see? She’s got all the features of his preferred victim, and she disappeared without a trace.”

Nino took the phone from him. “Are you sure about this?” He asked. “Maybe you’re just seeing what you want to see.”

“No! I’m not!” He protested. “Listen, I don’t want to think Marinette was kidnapped either, but--”

“It’s not a point of thinking Marinette was kidnapped.” Alya said. “It’s how unlikely that is.”

“What are you talking about?” Adrien asked.

“Do you remember when Marinette and I went to Nice for the last two weeks of summer vacation?” Alya opened up her pictures on her phone. “Look at this.” She showed him a picture of Marinette. She was facing away from the camera, watching the ocean. She was curled up on the sand, and she was watching the sunset. But that wasn’t what he was meant to see. Adrien saw for the first time Marinette’s beautiful wings. He took the phone and held it as he stared at them, memorizing the way they sparkled, how they caught the light and made patterns on the ground. It was like standing at the base of a stained glass window. “Marinette has wings and hollow bones. She can fly. If someone tried to take her, she’d fly away.”

He couldn’t speak for a moment. “She never told me about this.” He muttered.

“Well, freaks don’t often reveal themselves to just anyone.” Nino said, his voice shaking a bit. Adrien and Alya switched phones. “And you’re sort of friends with Chloé, who talks nonstop about how weird freaks are. She probably worried that you wouldn’t like her anymore if you knew she was one of them.”

“I don’t hate freaks.” Adrien whispered, looking at his hands. He pulled them closer to his chest. He shook his head. Authoritatively, he said, “We’re ahead of the police on this one. We have to find her. Everything I found on the Pale says that he kills his victims after fourteen days, and she’s already been missing for six.”

“What are we going to do, man?” Nino asked. “We’re not bloodhounds or whatever. We don’t even know where to start looking.”

“Okay, we know that she went to my house to drop off a book. And we know that she got there because Nathalie gave me the book she dropped off.” Adrien said. “So we know that she was kidnapped somewhere between my house and the bakery.”

“There is an awful lot of space between the bakery and your mansion, Adrien.” Alya argued. “Maybe you should just talk to the police. They might appreciate the lead if you give it to them.”

“Like they’re going to believe some fifteen year old boy’s conspiracy ramblings.” He muttered. He looked away from them and stood up straight. “Do what you want. I’m going to go look for her.” Adrien ran down the stairs and out of the school. Nino and Alya sighed before chasing him.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien drove ahead of Alya, his eyes nearly glowing with intensity. Marinette, who had been calm just a little while ago, was starting to shake like a leaf. “Are you alright, bugaboo?” He asked, glancing at her.

“No. God, I’m not okay.” She shuddered. “I’m not sure I can do this. I don’t even understand our plan.”

“It’s really simple. We sneak into the warehouse, find Miriam and save her.” He explained. “If my father is there, we beat his ass to the ground, and those scissors Nathalie gave us are in the glovebox so we’ll just cut his tongue out and our lives go back to normal.” He smiled. “A nice, peaceful normal.”

Marinette sighed. “That plan will never work. That warehouse has one door and it’ll definitely be guarded.” She argued. “If Miriam is there, your father will have her in chains. And if your father is there, then we can’t send Alya or Nino in, because they’ll fall victim to him.” She looked out the window. “I’m not so sure this was a good idea after all.”

“It’s worth a shot. If there is even a small chance that we save Miriam’s life…” He started.

“I know. We’ll be heroes. We’ll feel great.” She said. “But I haven’t seen your father since the trial, obviously… I’m not sure that I can… do this.”

Adrien frowned sadly. “I completely understand. I’ll be right here the whole time. I won’t let him near you.” He parked near the gate of the warehouse district. He smiled at her. “I promise you that.”

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Marinette fixed her hair and her makeup in the bathroom. She wore a dress shirt under a professional grey pinstripe blazer and matching skirt. Sabine was behind her in a white cheongsam gown. She had a death grip on the handles of the wheelchair. “Mom, are you okay?” Marinette asked.

Sabine seemed surprised at this. She let go of the wheelchair and started to fix her own hair. “I’ll be fine when this is over and done with, sweetheart.” She gripped the marble sink. “I can’t believe him. I can’t believe that you have to do this. I can’t believe they’re going to put you on the stand. Marinette…” Sabine rubbed her eyes.

“Mom, don’t worry. Everything will be fine.” Marinette said with a smile. Sabine smiled at her daughter and pushed the wheelchair out of the bathroom. When Marinette could no longer see her face, it fell into a deep frown. Sabine pushed her to the courtroom. Tom and Adrien sat outside. Tom had pulled a sports coat over a blue shirt and thrown on some slacks that hadn’t been ironed. Adrien looked more professional, dressed in a charcoal suit with a black button up and a green tie. However, the tie was a complete mess. “Adrien, did you dress yourself in the dark? Come here.” Marinette said.

He looked up. Adrien’s eyes looked tired, like he hadn’t slept in many days. He stood and walked over to her. Marinette pulled on his tie so he would bend over. She pulled the knot out and started to tie it again. “Thank you.” He said quietly.

She smiled at him. She looked at her parents and quivered. “Do you mind if I have a moment to talk to Adrien alone?” She asked. Her parents hesitated. “Please?”

Tom and Sabine exchanged looks but nodded. “We’ll be waiting for you inside.” Tom said, kissing his daughter’s nose. She smiled at him, and they went inside without another word.

Adrien spoke first. “How are you feeling?” He asked.

“Glad to be out of the hospital. That’s enough for me right now.” She said with a smile. She frowned as she asked, “How are you feeling?”

He scratched at his neck nervously. The scar was still there, though it had faded some. Marinette didn’t want to bring it up. “I don’t think it really matters how I feel. I already testified.” He said, but his voice shook. He was nervous. “I, uh, I’m sure you’ll do great. The jury is already on your side. He isn’t going to get away with this.”

“I can’t help but wonder why he didn’t just plead guilty.” She thought aloud.

Adrien hesitated. “I spoke to his assistant. Briefly. She said that he’s a freak, and he can control people.” He admitted. Marinette seemed shocked, but a look of understanding soon replaced it. “Unlike my powers, though, he can’t turn it off. He demonstrated it a few days ago. It was scary, honestly.” He pushed his hair out of his face. “I think that he thought that they would put him on the stand so he could order the jury to let him off, but I think that if his attorney tries that, he’ll lose his license.”

“He… couldn’t control me, though.” She protested.

Adrien couldn’t admit that he knew she was a freak. She would feel that Alya had betrayed her trust, and he couldn’t destroy her purest, most treasured of friendships. After all, what were the odds of the two of them staying friends after this was over? “I don’t know why that is.” He lied. The murmurs in the courtroom got louder. “Are you ready to go in?” He asked. Adrien was shaking, but he moved to push her into the courtroom.

She closed her eyes. “Wait.” She said suddenly. He stopped. She opened her eyes and glanced around, as if she were uncomfortable. “I…”

“Marinette, you know you can tell me anything.” He said with a soft smile.

She nodded. “Please don’t take this the wrong way.” She begged. “I… don’t want you to listen to my testimony.” He seemed surprised. “It isn’t that I don’t trust you, or that I don’t think you can handle it. But I don’t… I don’t want you to think of me in the way that I’ll have to describe myself.”

“What do you mean?” He asked. He wasn’t hurt. He couldn’t identify this emotion that he felt.

“I don’t want you thinking of me as his victim. I don’t want you to… I don’t want you to know what he did.” She pulled her arms in close to her chest. “I know you probably already know details of what happened. I don’t want to know what you know. But I don’t want you to… I don’t want you to hear this. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m here to support you. If that means in the courtroom, then that’s where I’ll be. If it means not being in there, I’ll be there.” He reassured her. He put his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him. “If you don’t want me to know, then I’m making a promise to you right now. I will never, ever ask you what my father did unless it is life or death that I know.”

“Thank you, Adrien. You’re too good to me.” She said with a smile.

“I’d do anything for you, princess.” He said. He sat down on the bench outside the courtroom. “And right now, I’m going to sit right here and text you every five seconds that you can do this and everything will be fine.”

She smiled at him again. She wheeled herself into the courtroom. People stared at her as she rolled by, their voices ranging from critical to pitying. Marinette could feel their eyes burning holes into her as she continued down the aisle. She spotted her parents sitting behind the prosecutor, Vivienne Gagne, Tom badgering her for details. Sabine repeatedly told him to leave the prosecutor alone. Madame Gagne turned. She offered a kind smile to Marinette. She returned it. The defense attorney, Alain Babineaux, turned. His facial expression remained the same. Then, Gabriel turned.

When their eyes met, everything came back to her in a flash. She remembered everything. She remembered every cut, every touch, every agonizing moment that she spent with him. And as she remembered, she stopped. Her eyes filled with tears and she squeezed them shut. She couldn’t look at him. She just couldn’t. Her hands flew to her mouth and she tried to repress her sobs.

Tom helped her into her seat. Her phone buzzed in her purse. She checked it. It was a text from Adrien. “You’re doing great! Everything will be over soon!” He’d written. She smiled and took a deep breath.

“Everything will be over soon.” She repeated.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Alya and Nino joined Adrien and Marinette. They staked out the warehouse. The Gorilla stood out front. “So much for him still being in prison.” Adrien muttered. “My father must have sprung him.”

“How are we going to get past him?” Nino asked.

“I could cast a sleep spell on him.” Alya suggested. “But I'd have to be closer than this.”

Marinette looked at a loose piece of paneling. She could pull it back with her telekinesis and they would have roof access. But it would definitely be loud, and the Gorilla would notice. “If you put him to sleep, I can get us in through the roof. Once we’re inside, we’ll open up the door.”

Alya nodded. “Nino, cover me.” She said. He followed her from their hiding spot. They snuck into the shadows and she opened the grimoire. “Tenebris somnia!” She shouted. Sand whipped around her wand and it flew towards the Gorilla. As it struck him, Marinette started to pull on the paneling.

But the Gorilla didn't fall asleep. Instead, he stood up straighter and tried to find the source of the sound. “Are normal people not affected by magic?” Nino asked.

The Gorilla spotted Adrien and Marinette. He held out his hand and sand whipped around it. “That's not normal. Get him!” Alya shouted. She charged him and jumped onto his back. “Eat shit and die, fucker! Tenebris lapis!” The stone she conjured hit him in the teeth, but it didn't seem to bother him.

“What on earth are they doing?” Adrien wondered aloud. “They were just supposed to put him to sleep!” As if on cue, his phone rang.

“You brought your phone on a secret mission?” Marinette asked incredulously.

“Nino?” He said.

“Uh, problem. Looks like the Gorilla can refocus magical energy as a freak power.” Nino said. “You two look for Miriam. Alya and I will distract him.” He hung up.

“Did he just say that the Gorilla is a freak?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“Then he kidnapped me knowing that he didn't have to! What a piece of shit!” She said. She continued to pull back the paneling. “At least Nathalie had the common decency not to have a choice in what she did to me.”

“I don't think that's what common decency is.” Adrien said.

Marinette finished peeling back the panels. She took a deep breath and walked across them, reminding herself not to look down. She grabbed onto the roof and shook. Adrien followed her. They looked into the warehouse.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Adrien was dropped off in front of the mansion. “Go ahead and get comfortable. I'll be in soon.” His temporary guardian said as he pulled away.

He sighed and punched in the code to open the gate. It swung open and he started the long walk down the path. He forced open the door, discovering that the inside of the mansion had been trashed. “What happened here?” He asked as he stepped over broken bottles and plastic cups. Adrien climbed up the stairs. He moved to go towards his bedroom, and then he looked at the direction of the attic.

Did he really want to see it? Did he really want to see where his father tortured teenaged girls? It was there. He'd never seen it. And there was no time like the present. He walked over to the trap door. Adrien grabbed the door. He paused. His whole body was shaking. Did he want to do this?

No. He didn't. He let go of the door and walked away.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

There she was. Alya’s divination worked. Miriam was in chains, cowering in the corner. She seemed cold and very frightened. Marinette rubbed her eyes. “Are you able to do this?” Adrien asked.

She looked at him. She searched his eyes for a moment. “Yes. I can do this.” She smiled. “Everything will be over soon.”

He smiled back at her. Adrien dropped down onto the boxes and looked around. He couldn't see anyone other than Miriam. He motioned for Marinette to follow him. She did.

Miriam saw the flash of red and looked up. Adrien made eye contact with her and put a finger to his lips. “Monsieur Félix?” She whispered.

He jumped down to the warehouse floor. Marinette followed him. “Don't worry. We’re going to get you out of here.” Marinette said with a warm smile.

“Thank you. God, thank you so much.” Miriam sobbed.

Adrien rusted the chains and broke them. He went to move her and heard something click. “Ladybug, this is a trap.”

“We knew that was a possibility.” She said. “It's probably pressure sensitive. I have an idea.”

She used her telekinesis to grab a box that looked to be about Miriam’s weight. As Adrien moved Miriam, Marinette pushed the box onto the pressure plate. When the box had fully replaced her weight, Adrien and Miriam stumbled back. She sobbed in his arms. “We did it.” Marinette smiled at him.

“Good job!” Adrien said, and they pounded their fists together. He passed Miriam to Marinette so he could text Nino. As soon as he sent the text, his phone died. “What the hell?” He said. He tried to turn it back on. “How did he do that?”

“Miriam, this is very important.” Marinette said, looking her in the eyes. “Where is the man who did this to you?”

“I don't know. He said he'd be back.” She shook. “He knew that you would come. He's ready for you.” She looked at Alya and Nino entered.

“Alya, you and I should take Miriam to the car. She probably won't want to be around men for a while.” She said, nervously looking at Adrien. “Can you two handle searching the warehouse alone?”

“Yeah. Nino, put some headphones in, just in case he's here.” Adrien said. Nino pulled his headphones out of his suit and started to play music as loud as he could. Alya and Marinette helped Miriam out of the warehouse.

Adrien and Nino looked around. They couldn't find anything, though Adrien found a shipment of automatic weapons, which were extremely illegal in France. Nino made a note to report the warehouse.

As he made this note in his phone, an unseen force sliced off his arm. “What the shit!” Nino screamed. He covered his bleeding armpit, backing away from his attacker. Thinking quickly, he flicked his blood at the force. A woman exclaimed, stumbling back. “It's Sabrina! She's been Gabrielized!”

Adrien grabbed his staff and spun it, and he struck blindly at Sabrina. He hit her, knocking her out of consciousness and camouflage. She was still in her police uniform. “Snap out of it, Sabrina! We are not your enemies!” He shouted.

“Tenebris amare!” Another woman shouted. Adrien dodged a red light. He looked up. Chloé Bourgeois stood on the top of a pile of crates. She was dressed in a black and yellow suit, almost like a bumblebee. “Tenebris aqua!” She shouted. Water shot out of the end of her wand, knocking Adrien back.

“We’re getting out of here!” Nino shouted. He made a break for the door, still clutching his bleeding armpit. Adrien chased after Nino.

“Come back! You have to pay for your betrayal!” Chloé shouted.

“You'll have to catch me first!” Adrien taunted.

Chloé spun her wand. “Tenebris recensere iuniperorum!” She said, and her wand became a broomstick. She jumped off the crates and flew after the boys.

“Aw, fuck.” Nino cursed. Adrien used his staff to knock Chloé off her broom. He ran to the car. Alya, Marinette and Miriam were in one car, though it looked like Miriam was tied up. “Let's go, dude! Before she gets up!” Nino ordered when he jumped in.

Adrien drove away, Alya hot on his heels.

\---

Not feeling that it was safe to go home yet, Alya took Marinette and Adrien to her apartment. Miriam had been ordered to bring Marinette to Gabriel when Adrien was out of sight, and Alya worried others had been ordered to do the same. Nino was in the bathroom, hiding until his arm was finished regenerating.

“All in all, I think we did okay!” Marinette said cheerfully. “We learned that Gabriel controls the Gorilla, Chloé and Sabrina!”

“But that also means that Chloé was the one who sent those goons to your apartment.” Alya pointed out. “And we know that he's more powerful. He controlled four different people, including a witch. Before, we didn't have any proof he could effectively control more than two or three people.”

“And he wasn't even there.” Adrien frowned. “Manon was a message. Miriam was bait.”

Nino came out of the bathroom, using a towel to wipe blood off his new arm. It hadn’t regenerated hair yet. “The important thing is that she's safe at home and his trap failed.” He said. “Marinette is right. We did well and we should be proud.”

“And it looks like you may have conquered your agoraphobia!” Alya smiled as she hugged Marinette.

“Don't push it. I still get extremely uncomfortable in open spaces.” She said flatly.

“Progress is progress.” Alya shrugged. “Does this mean you're going to the wedding?”

“I guess so!” She said, giggling happily. “I should call Rose and Juleka.” She looked at Adrien to ask to borrow his phone. He seemed lost in thought, his eyes closed and his face intense. “Is everything alright, kitty?”

He didn't respond right away. “No. This was too easy. Finding her was too easy, the pressure plate was too easy, the goons were too easy…”

“You didn't have to fight the Gorilla.” Alya protested.

“My father murdered for twenty-two years without being caught.” Adrien said sharply. “He's smarter than this.”

“Maybe this was a test.” Marinette offered.

“Or maybe you weren't supposed to bring friends. The Gorilla was outside, and if you got past him, Chloé and Sabrina were inside. And if you got past them, there was the pressure plate.” Nino pointed out. “If it had just been you, you may not have been able to do it.”

“Maybe.” He said. But he couldn't shake the feeling that his father had something else planned.

“May I borrow your phone?” Marinette asked.

He reached around to unplug his phone from the wall, as Alya didn't have a landline. “What I don't understand is where he went.” Nino said. “He said he'd be back. Where did he go?”

Adrien looked at his lock screen. He'd missed a call. “Home.” He read.

\---

-EIGHT YEARS AGO-

Adrien was on his ninth foster home. No one understood why he kept getting bounced around, and when they asked him, he just said that it wasn’t the right fit. But each time he was forced to move, it was clear that it took a toll on him. He kept getting quieter and quieter. He hadn’t been talkative to begin with, so after nine homes in almost as many months, he barely spoke at all.

One day, he walked into class with a black eye. It barely registered with most of the class. After all, Adrien often came into school with various marks and bruises. True, after the gossip about the Pale case had died down they’d stopped appearing as much. But every so often he’d still show up, a new scar on his arm or his neck or a bruise where it probably shouldn’t have been.

Mylène offered him some cream for it, which he refused. Marinette spent all the time before class trying to get him to tell her what had happened, and he kept avoiding the conversation. After she pressured him more, he snapped at her, yelling that it wasn’t any of her business. He had immediately apologized, but he still wouldn’t say how he got it.

Nino had seen enough. He caught Adrien’s arm outside of school, apologizing when he pulled it away defensively. “Where are you headed, dude?” Nino asked.

“I’m going back to the Aldrins’.” He said. The Aldrins were his new foster family. He wasn’t allowed to have friends over, so Nino hadn’t met them yet. The black eye said enough, though.

“No, you aren’t. You are not going back there.” Nino said.

“I have to, Nino. They’re taking care of me.”

He looked at him incredulously. “Have you looked in a mirror today?” He asked. “It is my job as your friend to keep you from making poor choices. You are not going back to the Aldrins.”

“Where am I supposed to go, Nino?” Adrien asked. “I couldn’t go back to the mansion until I turn eighteen even if I wanted to. I can’t ask Monsieur Dupain and Madame Cheng to take me in; they don’t have enough room.”

He didn’t even think about it. He didn’t have to. “You’re coming home with me.”

“Your house has even less room than the bakery does.” He protested. “And I couldn’t impose.”

“It isn’t ‘imposing’ if I offer. And enough with the ten euro words. Talk like a human!” He said.

Adrien smiled. “I appreciate it, Nino. I do. But I can’t do that.”

“Who said you had a choice?” He said. He grabbed Adrien’s shirt and dragged him down the street. “You live with me now.”


	11. The Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which nothing really consequential happens at all nope not a thing.

The four had split up. Alya and Marinette went to Adrien’s home, while Adrien and Nino went to the Agreste mansion. Gabriel had called Adrien from his home, true, but he’d never lived there. Marinette ran inside, ignoring Alya’s warnings. “Plagg! Here, kitty kitty kitty!” She called out. The cat crawled out of the bushes, and she picked him up. “Oh, I am so glad you’re okay!”

The door had been kicked in. The inside had been torn apart, as if Gabriel had been looking for something. At first glance, nothing was missing. Even Marinette’s phone and Adrien’s weapons were still there. She called everyone in her contact list with the exception of Chloé, telling them to ignore unknown phone numbers and any messages that came from her number before that moment. After a while, Alya and Marinette stared at one another. “What the fuck did he take?” Alya asked, confusion in her voice.

\---

At first, Adrien and Nino didn't have much luck at the mansion. It was dilapidated after being empty for nearly nine years, trash thrown over the graffitied fence. Inside, mice had nibbled through the walls and the furniture was covered in a thick layer of dust. There was nothing to suggest that Gabriel had gone back to the mansion.

This didn't keep them from searching every room. It was surreal for Adrien to be there. His once beautiful home had been replaced by the haunted corridors of his imagination. He entered his old room. He found the pipe where he'd tried to hang himself, the books he'd read a hundred times each, the papers and journals he'd abandoned… Adrien was reliving his childhood, and it was even darker than he remembered.

He picked up one of his journals. Most of the pages were blank. Adrien had never been one for diaries. This journal didn't contain so much entries as it did just vague ramblings and angry scribbles. Later pages contained detailed food logs. He grimaced.

“Adrien.” Nino said suddenly. He looked up.

“I should burn this place to the ground.” Adrien said as he used his powers to destroy the journal. “Would I get in trouble for that?”

“Yeah, probably. I'm pretty sure that's arson.” Nino said.

“Is it arson if it belongs to you?” Adrien asked.

“No, I think that's insurance fraud.”

“I don't have insurance on this place. Why would I insure the haunted mansion? That defeats the purpose of a haunted mansion.” He rolled his eyes.

Nino chuckled. “Arson, then.” He grew serious. “There's only one room we haven't checked.”

Adrien’s eyes grew wide. He took a sharp breath in and held it for a moment. “Alright. Let's check the attic.”

They walked to the attic. Adrien had never been inside. He'd thought about it many, many times but until Marinette gave him a vague description of it, he could only imagine the interior. He shook as he pushed the trap door open. They climbed inside.

It was like a dungeon, despite being brightly lit from the large window. The walls were covered in monitors, but they were all dark. There was a steel table with condoms, gloves, knives, chains and other bits of metal. There were boxes of clothes that moths had eaten. On the wall opposite of the monitors there was a mural of white butterflies, but it had faded over the years. There was a hole in the wall, likely where Marinette had broken the wood to escape.

Adrien heard screaming. He spun around, looking for the woman who had created it. Nino watched him in confusion. He'd imagined it. He walked over to the hole to get a better look. There were bloodstains on the floor. Adrien wondered if it was all Marinette's or if it had come from other girls too.

“You were right. Miriam was the bait.” Nino said. Adrien looked at him. He stood next to a corpse. “This was the target.”

Adrien stood and walked closer to him. There was a girl lying dead in the light coming through the window. She'd died in a pool of her own blood, and it appeared that she died before the stab to her heart. She'd probably bled out.

But it was more than just her corpse. She had blue eyes, her hair had been dyed black, and her foot had been cut off postmortem. She was meant to symbolize Marinette. “What's your dad’s obsession with Marinette about?” Nino asked.

“She was his last victim before he was caught and the only one to survive.” Adrien explained. “But why didn't we get word this girl was missing?” He didn't even know her name.

“It looks like she's been dead for a couple of days. Judging by the marks on her arm, she was probably a runaway or otherwise living on the street.” Nino said. “If she was reported missing, it was a while ago.”

He sighed. “This poor girl. We don't even know who she is.” He muttered. He felt his world distort around him. He heard them screaming, shouting his name. He knew in his mind that they weren't there, that this was all in his imagination, but he couldn't shake it. He started to tremble. “I'm sorry. I have to get out of here.”

“Go start the car. I'll be down in a second.” Nino said. He looked around for any sign of who this girl was. He found nothing. He called the police anonymously and told them that the Pale had murdered another girl. After telling them where the body was, he joined Adrien in the car.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

It was August now, school having let out for summer vacation. Adrien was supposed to be living with the Bellamys, an older couple who had been chosen for him based on their reported kindness. But their area of expertise was in dealing with orphans and the children of drug addicts. They weren't used to the children of violent offenders. Nor were they used to helping them through crippling depression.

So, when Monsieur Bellamy found Adrien cutting himself, he'd immediately told him to pack up his things. Adrien thought he was being taken to an orphanage or something along those lines, but instead he was taken to the hospital. After making sure his wounds weren't infected and were bandaged, he was transferred into the psych ward.

It wasn't his first time in the psych ward. But it was his first time there not immediately following a suicide attempt. Adrien felt that he didn't need to be there. Cutting was such a natural thing to him at this point that he found the idea that he be hospitalized for it laughable.

He sat alone in the tiny room that acted as a cafeteria. There weren't a lot of patients, but he was among the youngest of them. Most of the patients were teenagers; this was the juvenile unit. A few were eighteen or nineteen, the oldest was twenty. The younger patients stared at him, as if they were trying to figure out why they recognized him.

From his seat, he could hear the nurses talk. “Okay, Mom. It's time for you to go. Visiting hours aren't until five.” One nurse, Yolanda, said.

“Okay. I love you, sweetheart. I'll see you at five.” A different woman said. It sounded like Sabine, but it wasn't the first time he'd heard a familiar voice that wasn't really there.

Adrien stood up and started to walk down the hall that led to his room. As he left the cafeteria and walked past the nurses’ station, he looked at the chair where new patients sat. He made eye contact with Marinette.

“Well,” she said as she shifted in her wheelchair, “this is terribly awkward.”

“Oh, do you two know each other?” Yolanda asked.

“Yes, we do. What are you doing here?” Adrien asked.

“What are you doing here?” Marinette demanded.

“I asked you first.”

“I asked you second.”

Adrien sighed. “My foster family doesn't know how to handle cutters.” He said. “Your turn.”

“I swallowed a bunch of sleeping pills because I can't take the nightmares anymore.” This was Marinette's first suicide attempt. She'd had two over the course of her life, the second happening about a month before the first anniversary. “I really hate hospitals, Adrien.”

“I know you do.” He sympathized. He went to his room as Yolanda finished giving Marinette the tour. She was a few doors down the hall from him. He walked over to her room, standing in the threshold. He wasn't allowed in. She looked up at him. “You didn't tell me you were having thoughts of suicide.”

“Well, to be fair, you've kind of been avoiding me unless I actively seek you out.” She said. He frowned and avoided her eyes. “I don't blame you. I really don't. This has been… weird.”

“I should have tried harder to be there for you.” He said.

“You have your own problems right now, too.”

“They're not as important as you.”

Marinette sighed. “I think the fact that we’re both here implies that we’ve got a few problems larger than the two of us can solve alone, no matter how much time we dedicate to it.”

A nurse walked by. “Adrien, you can't be in her room.” He said.

“I'm not in her room. I'm-” He protested.

“You're too close. Just step back into the hall.” The nurse said.

“It's alright. I'm coming out.” Marinette said. She rolled herself out of the room. “So, give me the patient tour. Since I already got the official one.”

“Well, it's really boring, mostly.” Adrien said as he took the handles of her wheelchair. “Those stares you're getting will probably pass. Right now it's just because you're new. If they don't, it's because they don't know why they recognize you. That's my problem.

“Time in here does not even feel real. I swear to God water has never evaporated faster in my life.” Adrien said, deadpan. Marinette giggled at this. He chuckled, glad that he'd made her laugh. “If you have a problem, talk to the other patients before the nurses. I mean, obviously if it's related to your treatment you should talk to the nurses but if it isn’t, you’ll get more support from other patients.”

“But we can’t use our phones.” Marinette said.

“No. They’ve got phones here in the halls. Use the one closer to the nurses’ station. It’s better.”

She nodded and looked up at him. “So what is there to do around here?”

“Group, mostly. You’ll get out faster if you go to group and participate.” Adrien said. “But there’s a TV in the cafeteria and a piano room in the back.”

Her eyes lit up. “You play piano, right?”

“Uh, yes?”

“Oh, I’ve never heard you play. When does group start? Do we have time for you to play something quickly?” She asked with a smile.

Adrien looked up at the clock and then at the schedule written on the whiteboard. “Yeah, we’ve got time.” She giggled again and they went into the piano room. There wasn’t a lot of room inside, but Adrien pushed some things aside to make room for her wheelchair. He found a few songbooks and flipped through them, but not seeing one he liked, he started to play a Jagged Stone song from memory.

Marinette smiled as she listened. After a moment, she had gathered up the courage to tell him. “Adrien, I’m a freak, too.”

He hadn’t been expecting that. “What?” He asked.

“You showed me your freak power. I’m a freak, too.” She said. “I have dragonfly wings. I figured that since you trusted me with your power, I should trust you with mine.” Her natural born one, at least.

“It wasn’t so much an issue of trust when I told you.” Adrien smiled. “But I’d love to see them some day. If that’s alright.”

She blushed. “Actually, I don’t call them out so much anymore. They, uh, they don’t work so well anymore. And I’d have to show you my shoulders.” He understood. His father must have done something to her wings, and even if he hadn’t, Marinette didn’t want him to see her scars. After all, they were too deep to fade.

“I see. Still, I appreciate you trusting me with this.” He said. “Your secret is safe with me.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien pulled up to his home. He noted that the door had been kicked open. He and Nino got out of the car and went inside. “Dude, he totally trashed your house.” Nino said.

“But nothing is missing. Whatever he was searching for, he didn't find it.” Marinette shouted down. “Also, Plagg hid out in the bushes. He's safe.”

“Oh, thank God.” Adrien exclaimed. He ran up the stairs and took the cat from Marinette. “He didn't hurt you, did he?” He asked as he hugged the cat.

“You two aren't safe here. He will come after you again.” Nino said.

“Did you find any clues at the mansion?” Alya asked.

Adrien hesitated. “Not as such. We found…”

Nino took over. “We found the body of a young girl. She was made to look like Marinette.”

Marinette seemed disturbed. “There was a more tactful way to say that, Nino.” Adrien scolded.

“Still, he's right. You should take everything essential and go to a hotel.” Alya advised.

“We just got comfortable here.” Marinette complained. She frowned. “This sucks.” She muttered as she grabbed the backpack she'd taken from her apartment.

Alya grabbed Adrien’s arm before he could follow her. He pulled it away defensively. “Sorry. So, do you know who that girl was?”

“No. We only know that she's been dead for a couple of days, that he dyed her hair black and he cut off her foot after she died.” He said.

“Did he…?”

“Probably. We didn't touch her body, so we don't know for sure.” Nino said. “The police will probably release a statement.”

“The message was clear though.” Adrien added. “‘I am going to kill her, and you can't stop me’.”

Alya sighed. “And ‘I am in control’.” Marinette came out with her belongings in a bag. Adrien asked her to grab some things from the basement while he grabbed some clothes and other things. Nino and Alya looked at each other. “Is it time?” She asked quietly.

“Time for what?” Nino asked. “You can’t just say these things and expect me to always understand. Is it time for what?”

“Is it time to call Volpina?” She whispered sharply.

“Why are you whispering? They don’t know who she is!” He said. “And I maintain that asking Volpina to interfere with Marinette and Adrien is only going to cause trouble. Especially on the murder front.”

“Two girls are dead, and we sprung one from a trap.” She said. “That makes at least sixteen victims. How many more need to fall victim to him before we decide to end it?”

“Alya, listen. It’s a bad idea.” Nino said as Adrien reentered the room. When Marinette joined them, Alya suggested a pet friendly hotel on the other side of town. She picked up Plagg and smiled at him, saying that they were used to taking fake names. They packed up the cars and drove there. Adrien and Marinette offered fake names, and while it was clear that the receptionist knew they were fake, she didn’t question them.

Alya and Nino left when they were sure that their friends were safe. Adrien and Marinette unpacked their things. Plagg jumped around and explored everything, marking his new surroundings. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been in a hotel.” Marinette said.

“Same here. The last time was with my father for a fashion show.” Adrien smiled.

“You know what’s great about hotels?” She said. He looked at her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “We can do whatever we want.”

“Within reason. We shouldn’t break anything.” He laughed. His face fell. “And I don’t think having sex tonight is such a good idea, Marinette.”

She laughed. “What, are you worried your dad is going to catch you?” She teased.

“No, I’m worried that you’re going to relapse.” Adrien said. “You’ve been shaking all day, and we’ve been through a lot. You should probably rest some, my lady.”

Marinette sighed. “You’re right. And I hate it.” She said. “But now that you mention it, I am kind of tired.”

“See? I know you better than you know yourself.” He teased.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

“Adrien.” He looked up. His therapist, Doctor Morin, was tapping her foot, though it was more idle than annoyed. “How have you been feeling since we last spoke?” She asked. Her greying hair was pulled back into a loose bun, and she looked almost too relaxed to be dealing with a suicidal teenager.

“No better or worse than normal. I am still not allowed ropes and cords while unsupervised, but that’s probably for the best.” He said.

“You mask your pain with humor. Who taught you to do that?” Doctor Morin asked.

“No one did. I just…” Adrien paused. “I picked it up because people prefer me when I’m smiling to when I’m depressed.”

“You mask your pain so others like you better?”

“Isn’t it pretty human to want to be liked by others?”

Doctor Morin laughed. “I suppose so. But it is also human to seek support from others. Do you believe that your humor is supporting others, and your pain is less important than their comfort?” She asked. Adrien didn’t reply. “Let me ask you something else. Has your support group been helpful at all in this time period?”

Adrien smiled. “Of course. My friends are very supportive. I’m glad, and lucky, to have so many people who care about me.”

“You still look troubled.”

“Of course. This doesn’t go away.”

“Something is bothering you specifically.”

He took a deep breath. “A friend of mine. He asked me what it felt like to hate myself so much that I wanted to die.” It had been Kim. The interaction had happened just a few days earlier. “And I told him that it felt like nothing. And he was mad, because he thought that I didn’t want to talk to him. He didn’t understand that I didn’t mean that I didn’t feel anything.”

Doctor Morin shifted in her seat. “What did you mean?”

“I meant… I meant that it feels like nothing. It’s… hard to describe.” Adrien struggled to find the words. “It doesn’t feel like everything around me is nothing. Or even that I’m nothing. Just there are days where everything I do, everything I feel…” He stopped.

“Adrien?”

“It feels like I’m drowning in the nothing.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Marinette shot up and screamed. She was drenched in sweat. She managed to stop screaming, but not before she woke Adrien. “Marinette! Mari, are you okay?” He asked, grabbing her arms. She couldn’t look at him. “Look at me. Look at me, Mari. You’re safe, alright? You’re safe here.” He held her close.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” She said. “It was… it was a nightmare.”

“It’s okay. You’re safe. You’re safe.” He reassured her. He buried his head into her shoulder, holding her tightly.

Marinette reached under his arms and held him. “I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay.” He repeated. Adrien stayed awake with her until she fell back asleep. When her breathing slowed, he got out of bed and dug around in his bag. His fingers paused on the razor blade. “No. No. Don’t let him win.” He said, and he kept digging. He found a box of cigarettes and a lighter.

He quietly opened up the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the balcony. He shut the door behind him. Adrien didn’t want Marinette to know that he smoked. It was a bad habit that he’d picked up from Lila, of all people, and he’d tried to kick it repeatedly. It always came back in times of stress, and each time it came back, it was harder to kick. When he was living in Marinette’s apartment, he’d set an alarm for three A.M after the first night and smoked on the ledge right outside her living room window.

He blew out a puff of smoke. “I’ve got to stop this.” He said as he put the cigarette back in his mouth. He leaned against the iron railing and watched Paris at night. Even from such a distance, he could see where the Eiffel Tower stood. It lit up suddenly. Adrien looked at his phone. It was two o’clock in the morning. “God damn it. I stayed up again.”

Adrien pulled the mask he’d worn as Chat Noir out of his pocket. Marinette had made the suits so they could take whatever was thrown at them. Did she expect them to be superheroes after this? He admitted that would be amazing. The trouble with superheroes seemed to be that supervillains followed their appearance. Not this time, though. This time they were going up against someone who would control anyone to achieve his goal. And who knew how many people he could actually control now? Alya suspected four. Adrien thought more.

He jumped when he saw a flash of orange and white. He blinked when he came face to face with a woman in an orange and white supersuit. There was a detailed scarf wrapped around her hips that hung low, almost like a tail. Her mask was mostly orange, though it tied in the back. Her hair was dyed white at the tips in the front, and it had been cropped short in the back. Adrien recognized her from the news. “Volpina?” He asked.

Volpina blinked. “Adrien Agreste?” She asked. She laughed. “I almost didn’t recognize you underneath your birth control glasses.”

He groaned. “I happen to like my--oh, nevermind. Have we… have we met?” He asked. She grinned. She reached behind her head and removed her mask. When she met his eyes again, he recognized her. “Lila? You’re Volpina?” He moved suddenly, dropping his cigarette and blocking her way into the hotel room. “Why are you here?”

“It really is simple, Agreste.” She said snippily. “I was hired by an interested party to find and kill Gabriel Agreste. And my first task was to track down Miriam Bissette.”

“Well, Miriam was already found and returned home safely, and my father is currently being taken care of.” He said sharply. “So, your job is over and you can go ahead and crawl back to Italy and we’ll pretend this never happened.”

“And that’s where you’re wrong.” She said as she folded her hands behind her back. “There’s a bit of a problem. Miriam recognized you. I know you’re a new superhero, Chat Noir.”

He recoiled. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Yes, I saved her. I did your job for you. What’s the problem?”

Lila drew a knife and pressed it against his throat. “You stole my bounty.”


	12. Through Pained Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien gets fucking pissed.

-NINE YEARS AGO-

Adrien walked into class. As always, it fell silent. He moved to sit down when he noticed that Alya had stolen his seat. She motioned behind her in annoyance. He looked at her usual seat, confused.

A new girl sat in her seat. She had dark hair and she was staring at Marinette with starstruck eyes. Marinette was clearly uncomfortable with the attention she was being shown. “Your clothes are so nice. Where do you get them?” She asked, reaching over to her hand. She wrapped her little finger around Marinette's.

“I make a lot of my clothes, actually.” Marinette said.

Her eyes lit up. “That's amazing! You are so talented!” She said. “You know, I have connections in the fashion industry. I could look into a summer internship for you.”

“Thank you, Lila, but physical therapy is going to take up most of my summer.”

“But not all. We should hang out over the summer. It'll be so fun!” The girl, Lila, said. It was almost flirtatious. Adrien sighed. He went to the back of the class and sat next to Nathanëal.

\---

Adrien was in the library. He'd started spending a lot of time there. He had stopped going to most of his clubs and activities after the trial. He couldn't find the energy to even attend the meetings, let alone enjoy them. He pulled a physics book off of the shelf but couldn't focus on the text. He moved to the fiction section and tried to find something there.

“Agreste!” Someone shouted. He looked around. He spotted Lila. They weren't exactly friends. He only knew her because of how she'd attached herself to Marinette. Adrien assumed they were close, but he had been trying to give Marinette some space to recover, so he didn't really know.

“Hello. Your name is Lila, right?” He asked.

“Lila Rossi. I'm Marinette's new friend.” She said.

“I know that. We've spoken before.” Adrien said.

She shifted her weight. “Yeah. She told me what your father did to her yesterday.”

He flushed. “I'm assuming that you mean what he did to her a few months ago and not that he did something to her yesterday. In which case I'm surprised no one pulled you aside and told you the second you spoke to me for the first time.” Adrien said. “But you have something to say to me, right?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because everyone has something to say to me. I'm the son of a serial killer.” He said.

He couldn't quite place Lila’s expression. There was sadness somewhere in her eyes. She took a deep breath and smiled. “I just came to offer my support. This must be a weird time for you.”

Adrien frowned. “Um. Thanks. It kind of is.”

“And for what it's worth, I don't think you should worry about turning into your father.” She said. Neither did he, for Adrien had a plan. He fully intended to avoid all women, and then one day, he would die. “If you were a serial killer,” this caught his ear, “you wouldn't be an anger excitation rapist. You'd be a family annihilator.”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

Her smile was surprisingly warm for such a dark topic. “You would target families just like yours. A mother, a father, a son between the ages of twelve and fifteen.” She shifted. “You'd probably target the mother first. Partly so she doesn't have to watch her family suffer and partly because you resent her for not taking you with her.”

He started to walk away. “I don't have to listen to this.”

“Then you'd kill the father. You are so mad at him. For what he did to you and those girls.” Lila followed him. She was nothing if not persistent. She watched as his hands started shaking. “When the police find him, they won't even recognize him, will they?”

“Lila, please. Leave me alone.” Adrien said firmly.

“And then you'd kill the son.” She said. He stopped walking. “It isn't like you want to do it that way. But he's you now. And you can do to him the one thing you can't do to yourself.”

Adrien spun around. He moved to slap her, but he stopped himself before he made contact. He brushed his hair out of his face and took a few deep breaths. “Lila, please. This is a serious subject.” He said. “You don't have to like me. Hell, I don't like me. But I ask that you believe me when I say that I didn't hurt Marinette, and I don't want to hurt anyone else, either.”

She blinked. “You're always in complete control of yourself, aren't you?” Lila asked. “I had hoped to make you mad, but it doesn't look like that will work for long.” Adrien didn't respond. He walked out of the library without a word.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien clawed up his hand and held his fingers to Lila’s throat. “I've always wondered what would happen if I used this ability on someone.” He hissed. “And I have a lot of things to protect from you. So give me a reason to try it, Lila.”

Lila narrowed her eyes. But she put the knife away. “From what I hear, you won't kill your father. But you'll kill me?”

“Who knows? Maybe you were right and this will be what triggers my murderous instincts.” He joked. He put his hand down. “Tell me what you want and then leave. You aren't welcome here.”

“My, my! What a temper!” She said. “I want you to repay the stolen bounty.”

“No way. I'm not giving you any money. Get lost.”

“Who said anything about money?” Lila asked. “I have money. Money isn't my issue.” She folded her arms. “There are lots of things I need. Help, influence… information.”

\---

-EIGHT YEARS AGO-

Marinette had begged for Adrien to attend the dance. He didn't want to go. After all, Marinette was going with Lila--even in his head, he said her name with a poisonous tongue--and no one wanted him at a party. But she'd eventually convinced him to go. He got dressed and walked with Nino to the school.

The inside was decorated with streamers and balloons. There wasn't a theme to this party, after all. The school had hired a DJ, which Nino felt slighted at. Still, he intended to have a good time. Adrien was sure that he wasn't.

Adrien sat down at a table. The dance hadn't officially started, so people were scarce. Nino was talking to Alya, who didn't want to be close to Adrien. He didn't blame her.

“I'm glad you came.” Marinette said. He looked at her. She wore a pretty sky blue dress with long sleeves. She sat down across from him. “I was hoping we'd get a chance to talk before Lila got here.”

He pushed his hair out of his face. “About what?”

“You just…” She paused. “You've seemed so angry lately. Are you feeling alright?”

What could he say? He couldn't admit that he was angry with himself, his cowardice and self-pity. He couldn't admit that he was angry with her, especially since saying yes to the beautiful, doting, stable Lila was a better choice than himself, who had a hard time just getting out of bed. He couldn't admit that he was mad at the world. “I'm in a bad place right now.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked kindly.

“No, I don't want to talk about it!” He spat. He didn't know why he was shouting at her. She flinched. “What is there to talk about?”

“I'm sorry. I just thought--”

“I'm sure you did. Tell me, what did you think I would get out of this, Marinette?”

She flushed. “My therapist said that being around people who care about you can help you in difficult times.”

He couldn't meet her eyes. He sighed but he didn't apologize. “These people don't care about me, princess. They're scared of me.”

“I care about you.” She said. She reached for his hands. He pulled them away.

“How are you feeling?” He diverted.

She smiled. “I feel… pretty. For the first time in a long time.” She twisted her fingers into her hair. “I'm glad that Lila asked me to come.”

He forced a smile. “And I'm glad that you feel good.” He said honestly.

Lila touched Marinette's shoulders. She jumped. “Sorry, sweetheart. Just wanted to surprise you.” Lila smiled. She hugged her from behind. She looked up at Adrien. “Hey, Agreste. You look like you've seen better days.”

“I have.” He said flatly.

“Well. No wonder I never see you at parties.” She said. She looked at Marinette. “They're going to start playing music soon. Are you ready to dance?”

She looked at Adrien. He didn't say anything. She hid a frown. “I'm as ready as I'll ever be!” She said. Lila grinned and pulled her onto the dance floor.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien took a step closer to her. “No. Never.” He said. “I will never tell you where she is.”

“Why? Why do you think I want to hurt her?” Lila asked.

“Because you've done nothing but!” He shouted. “Marinette was so scared of you that she couldn't even face you!” Adrien was about a half head taller than her, and he could tell that he had intimidated her. She held onto the iron railing. When she let go of the railing, he saw that she'd bent it.

\---

-EIGHT YEARS AGO-

Adrien had forgotten one his books. He dug around in his locker, cursing himself for leaving it such a mess. He heard footsteps and giggling. “Shh! Hurry, hurry! We’re going to be late!” Marinette whispered. Adrien covered his mouth as to not attract her attention with his breathing.

“Shit. Look at your neck.” Lila chuckled. “God, I wish I was in your class. I want to look at these all day.”

“Lila! Don't!” Marinette laughed. “I'm still really sore!”

“Will I see you after school?”

“No, my parents will want to see me. Our sleepover was a little… impromptu.” Shit. Had Marinette and Lila hooked up last night?

“Well, it's Saturday. Do you think they'd mind if I stole you away for the weekend?” How long had they been dating? A month and a half? Two, if one counted the dance as their first date?

“I guess we’ll have to see.” There was a pause. “I've got to get to class. I'm really late now.”

Adrien heard her run out and up the steps. He grabbed his book and headed back to class. Lila was poking around inside Marinette's locker. She flushed when she saw him. “Agreste! How… how much of that did you hear?”

“All of it.” He said.

She frowned. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Well,” she said with a grin, “I guess we know who she chose, then.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

She pushed him away from her. Adrien slammed against the sliding glass door. Lila was incredibly strong! It must have been her freak power. “That's a lie! I never hurt Marinette! I love her!”

“That's the lie! I saw what you did to her! I saw it!”

\---

-SEVEN YEARS AGO-

“Did you see Marinette when she was changing after sport?” Mylène whispered to Alix. Adrien was standing on the other side of the bookshelf. He didn't mean to eavesdrop. But he did.

“No, I was too busy looking at Mirielle’s tattoo. What's up with Marinette?” Alix asked.

“She has bruises all up her ribcage. She looks like she got into a fight!”

“Are you serious?” There was a pause. “Maybe they're track marks? There have been rumors that Alya is on drugs and she's her best friend…”

“No way. I've seen marks like these on Ivan. Someone is hitting her.” Mylène said. Adrien shook and nearly dropped the book he held.

“God! What should we do?”

“There isn't a lot we can do unless she comes forward about how she got those bruises.”

Adrien put his headphones in and walked past them. They shared a new rumor, one that he had knives hidden in his bedroom. It was a half truth. He found Marinette, and he moved to speak to her. Lila approached her. She held a long box. Inside there was a necklace.

She seemed really happy to get a gift from her girlfriend. Lila put it on her, and then offered her hand. Marinette hesitated for half a second before taking it. Adrien had an idea where the bruises came from.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“Fine. You want information, I'll give it to you.” Adrien compromised. “You can't fight my father. His power is stronger now. He can control freaks. If you face him, he will control you.”

Lila frowned. “That's not what I want to know.”

“Sucks to be you. Now get out of here.” Adrien moved to go back inside.

She caught his arm. He pulled it away. She wanted to say something to him, but she looked into the hotel room. “Is someone in there with you?” She asked.

“No. Go away.” He lied.

“Oh, fuck you. I can see her!” Lila said. She blinked. “Oh my God. I knew it. I fucking knew it!” She grabbed his wrist and squeezed. He pulled away from her, but she wouldn't let go.

“You're hurting me! Let go!” Adrien shouted. She let go, and he stumbled into the door again.

She walked closer to him. He looked at his wrist; it had already started to bruise. “I always knew that she liked you! I knew that she was cheating on me!”

“Not this again!” He groaned. He regained his footing. “For the last time, Marinette never cheated on you! You aren't her fiancée anymore! And you're a fucking asshole!”

Lila drew her knife again.

\---

-SEVEN YEARS AGO-

Something hit Adrien in the face. He woke up to a pair of jeans. He picked them up and looked at them before noticing Lila standing over him. “Get dressed, loser. We’re going shopping.” She said.

“No. Get out.” Adrien said.

“Who said you had a choice? Get up.” Lila ordered.

“Why… who even let you in here?”

She grinned. “Nino’s mom. Now stop stalling.”

Lila left the room and Adrien reluctantly got dressed. He looked at his arm. He'd been in a better place lately. He hadn't cut himself in a few weeks, and he hadn't attempted suicide since the previous year. Though it was only March. Adrien joined Lila in the living room. “Why are you here?”

She sighed. “It makes Marinette sad that you and I don't get along. So, since we don't have school today, you and I are going to bond!”

“Contrary to popular belief, Marinette does not always have to get what she wants.” Adrien snapped. “And she's not getting this. I don't want to hang out with you. At all. Period.”

“Sucks to be you. Put your shoes on. I'll buy you lunch.”

“I just woke up. I'm not hungry.”

“How are you not starving?” She asked. “And it's eleven. Why did you sleep in until eleven?”

“We don't have school today.”

“Jesus Christ, you're a walking human disaster.” She waited for him to put his shoes on. They walked out of Nino’s home. Lila’s car was outside. Sometimes Adrien forgot that her parents were diplomats. They slid into the backseat. The car started moving. It had been a while since he had been chauffeured somewhere. “So we’re going to my yoga class, then we’ll eat, but then we’re going to this little boutique in Ville-sous-la-Ferté where I have an order waiting.” Lila explained.

Adrien groaned. “Ville-sous-la-Ferté is two hours away.” He complained.

“Take a nap. Read something. I don't care.” She said.

Lila’s yoga class was intense. She seemed supernaturally calm, while Adrien learned that he'd lost a lot of the flexibility he'd had when he was younger. He couldn't remember ever being more stressed out. That was not what yoga was supposed to do. Then Lila bought lunch, which he admitted was delicious.

He actually did fall asleep on the ride to Ville-sous-la-Ferté. When he woke up, he didn't recognize his surroundings. It almost looked like he was in a doctor’s office, but there were armed guards. Adrien looked at his phone. He'd missed a call from Nino, and there was a new text from Lila. “Pick you up after I get my dress!” She'd written.

“Monsieur Agreste?” Someone said. He looked up. A man in a navy blue suit looked at him. “I'm glad you finally made it. I'm Warden Belrose.”

“Warden?” He asked. It took a moment for the pieces to connect. Lila had dropped him off at the prison his father was in! “Shit! No no no no no.” He stood up and paced. “I don’t want to be here. I don't want to see him.”

“Please, sir.” Belrose said. “You've already come all this way.” Adrien was shaking. Belrose took his shoulder and led him into the visitation room. There were guards on the other side of the glass. They wore noise-cancelling headphones. A good idea. Adrien sat down and shivered. “Don't worry. You're completely safe here.” The Warden reassured him.

The door opened. Gabriel wore handcuffs, and he wore a white jumpsuit. He sat down across from Adrien. “Hello, my son.” He said.

Adrien was shaking so badly he couldn't hide it. “I didn't come here voluntarily. I was tricked.”

“I figured some form of trickery was going on when you arrived. You won't even answer my phone calls anymore.”

“Can you really blame me?” Adrien asked.

“Adrien, please. All I ask for is a few minutes of your time.” Gabriel said. There was a pause. “The last I heard, you were living with your friend Nino. Is his family treating you right?”

“Better than you did.”

“Doubtful. You wanted for nothing.”

“Except a father who wasn’t raping people in the fucking attic.”

“Watch your language.”

“Fuck you!”

“Okay.” He leaned back a bit and looked away. Then he met Adrien’s eyes. “So, you want to punish me. You think that you can hurt me with your words.” He leaned forward. “I'll bet that I can hurt you worse.”

“There is nothing you can say to me that I haven't said to myself.” He hissed. “No scenario I haven't thought about. No concept I haven't tortured myself with.”

“She tasted like strawberries.”

And that was all it took. Warden Belrose flashed a light and the guards took Gabriel out of the room. Adrien could barely register that people were speaking. He had never considered that his father would remember such a small detail. He never considered that it would affect him so badly.

In this moment, Adrien realized that it had been a really long time since he'd seen Marinette wear makeup.

He walked out of the prison and slumped against the wall. He was dissociative, unable to process the world as it spun around him. He heard the screaming, he felt his arm bleed, and he knew he had to ground himself.

His therapist had taught him to find something familiar to ground with. But most of the things he found familiar were painful. So he grounded himself with things his mother had said to him, but his memories of her were vague at best.

“It's just a dream. It's just a dream.” He muttered. “Lux oblitus. Lux oblitus. It's just a dream…” He didn't remember what the words meant anymore. Just that he was calming himself with them.

“Agreste?” Someone said. He looked at the voice. He was dissociating so badly that he couldn’t recognize this person. “Quest key no van saw?”

“Shut up. You don't make sense. Go away.” Adrien whispered. He could barely hear anything over the screaming. “It's just a dream. Lux oblitus.”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Two east pathologic.” She pulled something that looked like a worm out of her pocket. She put it in his mouth and lit her lighter. “Prawn tune critic set.” Adrien started to take deep breaths. Suddenly, he started coughing. “That means it's working. Smoke half of it, at least.” She directed.

Adrien stopped dissociating after smoking half of the cigarette. This, he knew, was a temporary solution. Soon his panic and anxiety would return, worse than before as he struggled with what would soon become an addiction, but for the moment, he felt better, if a bit gross. And also, he realized pretty quickly, he felt something else.

He was fucking pissed!

“Why the fuck did you bring me here, Lila?” He shouted. His words blended together as he tried to piece together his mental state. “I was in a good place! And you fucking ruined it!”

“I didn’t bring you here with the intention of ruining your good place.” Lila said. “I just figured that if you faced your father, it might help you. Show you that you don’t have to be afraid of him anymore.” She explained, “And if you aren’t scared of him, then Marinette won’t be either. She puts a lot of stock into what you say.”

“Well, mission failed! I’m even more terrified of him!” He shouted. “God. I hate this. I hate you. Take me home.”

Lila frowned. They got in the car. The ride back to Paris was long, and Adrien forced himself to stay awake. He was still shaking. Lila looked at him through the corner of her eye. When they crossed into the city limits, she spoke. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to--”

“Shut up. Just shut up.” Adrien snapped. “You crossed the line with me this time. I expected nothing, and was still betrayed. You took my life into your hands when it was unwanted, and you never considered the consequences.”

Lila frowned and looked away. The car pulled up to Nino’s home and parked on the side of the street. Adrien opened and slammed the car door, rusting the side and cracking the window. He went inside. Nino seemed relieved that he was home safe. He wanted to hug him, but saw the fury on his face. “Kirby’s fucking pissed?” He asked.

“Kirby’s fucking pissed!” Adrien shouted. He went up to the shared bedroom and fell onto his bed. The sheets were just a little bit cold and very inviting. He buried himself under the covers and squeezed his eyes shut. “It’s just a dream. It’s just a dream. Lux oblitus.” God, Adrien really wanted another cigarette. He’d hear those words over and over in his nightmares.

She tasted like strawberries. She tasted like strawberries. She tasted like strawberries.

Adrien never told anyone that his father said that.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien grabbed the blade. It cut his palm, but his powers rusted the blade. He snapped it in half. “It’s been almost six years, Lila. Six! Years!” Adrien shouted. “It is time for you to move on! Marinette will never go back to you! Not while I breathe!”

Lila dropped the broken knife. She lunged for him. Adrien grabbed her arm and dug into her suit with his nails and his powers. She started screaming. He dropped her arm, shocked at what he’d just done. Her skin already had a dark bruise, and she was bleeding where his nails had been. “Fuck! I think you cracked my bone!” She shrieked as she nursed her arm.

“Shit! I’m sorry--” He reached out to her. She grabbed a narrow bo staff from her belt and whipped it around. Adrien raised his hand. The gash stung when the staff made contact, but his powers broke the staff. “Please. Let me take you to the hospital.”

“You’ve done enough!” Lila shouted. She was crying. She rubbed her eyes with her free hand. She looked up at him, her expression darker than the night sky. “The next time we meet, it will be as enemies.”

Adrien rolled his eyes. “Enough with your fucking video game talk, Lila. I won’t let you near Marinette, but we have a common goal--”

“Fuck. You.” She spat. She jumped off of the balcony. Adrien watched her tie her mask again as she ran away.

He sighed. He went back inside. The entire exchange had only lasted for five minutes. It had felt like an eternity. He went into the bathroom and bandaged his hand. Adrien climbed into the crinkling hotel sheets, flinching at the noise. Marinette opened her eyes a little bit. It was only for a second before she fell back asleep. Adrien pulled her closer. “I love you, Marinette.” He whispered in the darkness. She opened her eyes again. “I won't let anything bad happen to you. I promise.”

She chuckled. “Silly kitty. You can't promise that.” Marinette teased him. She kissed his jaw and snuggled into his arms. “You smell nice.”

“Shh. I didn't mean to wake you.” He said. “Go back to sleep.”

She did. He put his head down and adjusted so her head was on his chest. Adrien sighed and looked at the ceiling. In the morning, he'd ask that they switch rooms, and spent an awfully long time debating whether or not to tell Marinette that Lila had found them.

He eventually decided to tell her. After all, he didn't want to keep big secrets from her forever. She took the news badly, of course, but after talking it through, Marinette decided that it was time for her to stop hiding.


	13. If These Wings Could Fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I just dump a bunch of scenes on you and hope you get upset.

-THIRTEEN YEARS AGO-

For the past six days, Marinette had been violently ill. She had been throwing up, her body was shaking and the only way to keep her fever down was to put ice on her head, though it would melt soon after. But she had finally started to feel better, just in time to start middle school. Just her luck.

When she woke up for school, instead of looking at her ceiling, she saw her floor. She couldn’t feel her blankets, and she quickly realized that she was flying. Upon learning this, Marinette crashed to the ground, releasing a loud yelp. “Marinette? Are you okay?” Her mother shouted.

She sat up. “Yes, Mom! I just rolled out of bed!” She ran to her mirror and turned to look at her back. Dragonfly wings had sprouted from her back, fluttering wildly. They’d rolled her shirt up. Marinette panicked. At only eleven years old, she’d joined the mutant generation, and she was terrified. “Oh! How am I going to hide this from Mom and Dad?” She asked. With hope in her eyes, she tried to get her wings to lay flat against her back.

As she tried this, they meshed with her skin. It was as if her back was water and her wings were sinking into it. Marinette thought about them appearing, and they rose, though it made her feel a little sticky. She admired the way that they caught the light, and she felt very pretty. “Marinette! You’re going to be late if you don’t hurry!” Sabine said.

She folded her wings into her back. Marinette quickly got dressed, making up an excuse when Sabine asked why she was smiling. She ate quickly and kissed her mother goodbye before racing down the stairs. She kissed her father before she ran to school. She sat in the back, worried that she would lose control and her wings would reappear.

A boy sat next to her. Marinette greeted him, but he seemed pretty out of it. She noted that he smelled like a hospital, which she had begged her parents not to take her to. He moved a pencil between his fingers before driving it into his hand. Marinette cringed and looked away, but she couldn’t help but look back. He pulled the pencil out and watched as the wound closed nearly instantaneously.

Marinette decided to risk exposing herself as a freak to sit in the second row.

\---

-ELEVEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette had gotten very good at using her wings. She hadn’t told her parents about them, and she didn’t have many close friends, so it was her best kept secret. She would only use them in her bedroom or at night. She would fly to places that she couldn’t reach with her legs, like the very top of the Eiffel Tower or the center of the Arc de Triomphe.

What she had once believed to have marked her as a freak was now a crucial part of her identity. There were days that she didn’t even need a reason to pull them out other than to sit in the sun and sketch the patterns. Marinette’s notebooks were filled with pictures of fairies, the wings colored beautifully. Rose had on more than one occasion asked for Marinette to draw her a fairy. In fact, she had a whole notebook full of her fairies.

But the secret was crushing her. She felt like she was hiding herself. She’d made friends with Alya Césaire, who was from Martinique and new this year, and she felt as though they were close enough that she could tell her without endangering their relationship.

Marinette invited Alya up to her bedroom. She took a few deep breaths. “Alya, can you keep a secret?” She asked.

Alya chuckled. “You’re asking the lead editor of the school blog if she can keep a secret?” She asked. Marinette frowned, and Alya noticed this. “That was a joke. Of course I can keep a secret. Are you in trouble?”

“No. I’m not in trouble.” She said. “I just… I wanted to show you something, but I can’t if you’re going to tell anyone.”

Alya straightened her back and put her hand over her heart. “I, Alya Césaire, promise that I will never, ever reveal any of Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s secrets for as long as I live.” She swore with her eyes closed. She opened one and offered Marinette her pinky. “Have we got a deal?”

Marinette laughed. “Of course. And I promise the same.” They locked pinkies.

She stood and took off her jacket. She grabbed the hem of her shirt. “Wait, wait. I take it back. I’m not sure I like where this is going.”

“Calm down.” Marinette said as she pulled off her shirt. She sat back down with her back to Alya. She squeezed her eyes shut as she endured the sticky feeling. She heard Alya gasp when she fluttered her wings. “You can see now why I needed to ask you to keep this a secret.”

“Marinette, you’re so beautiful.” Alya breathed. She moved closer to get a better look. Her fingers brushed against the chitin, flakes coming off. “Oh! I’m sorry.” Her fingertips were coated in sparkles. “Thank you for trusting me with this, your most precious of secrets.”

“That’s what friends do, right?” She asked. “Trust each other?” Alya smiled.

\---

-TEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette had known that she was in love with Adrien for a long time before he knew that he loved her. He would occupy her thoughts for days at a time. When he wasn't around, it was like a day without the sun. His presence made her heart feel as light as her wings made her body.

In her mind, she knew that it was crazy for her to feel this way. There were so many things in their way. Not to mention, she noted as she hid behind a chimney when Adrien went to his window, Marinette was kind of acting like a stalker.

This realization made her sad. Marinette frowned and hid behind the chimney again. Her decision to do this had been an impulse. After the costume party, she was grounded and she wouldn't be allowed to spend time with him for two weeks. She just wanted to be with him. To experience the butterflies again.

Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Adrien. “I have a joke for you!” He'd written.

“Oh, God.” She typed back.

“How do cats keep order in their cities?”

“I'm not talking to you.”

“Claw enforcement!”

Marinette laughed. “You're the worst.”

From her hiding spot, she could see him smile. “You're acting a bit purr-snickety!”

“Are you kitten me right now?” She watched him burst out into laughter. “Go to sleep, man.” Marinette waited for him to leave her sight before she flew away. She vowed never to fly to check up on him again. It was a vow that she would eventually break.

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

It was hour twenty-two. Marinette was sobbing on the floor of the attic, her entire body convulsing and rejecting her surroundings. The corner of the attic she was in wasn't in the light from the window. She forced herself to sit up. “Adrien!” She screamed. “Adrien!” Why wasn't he responding? She could see that he was home!

Marinette peeled her wings off of her back. Every time she moved them, she felt agony trace her spine. She cried out in pain with every flutter. Gabriel had cut at her back, and she was still bleeding, but she had to try. She had to keep trying. Marinette wasn’t a quitter.

She fluttered her wings as fast as she could. The chains on her ankle rattled when they caught her. She pulled against them for a moment before her wings gave out and she fell. Her body landed with a loud crash. Marinette sighed and tried again. Her body rejected the movement, and her wings refused to lift her. On the monitors, she could see that Gabriel had returned home. She panicked and tried again, with an even worse result. Her wings wouldn’t disappear. She slammed them against her skin, but when Gabriel entered the attic, they were still out.

“Your wings are beautiful.” He said as he changed out of his regular clothes.

Marinette crawled towards the wall for support. She pulled herself to her feet. “Why are you doing this?” She demanded. He didn't answer her. Was he ignoring her? Did he not understand himself? “Don't you care? Don't you care about what you're doing to my family? You're a father! You have to understand what my parents are going through!”

“I would save my strength, were I you.” Gabriel said as he examined his knife.

She frowned. “What about Adrien?” She asked. “What happens when he finds out that you've done this to me?” He didn't even flinch. “What will you say to him when he learns what you've done to his best friend?”

Gabriel started his walk over to her. She dug her nails into her leg. “Adrien will never know what happened here.” He said. “You will be dead before he understands why you're gone.”

Marinette tried to hide the fear that was obvious in her eyes. “Adrien! ADRIEN!” She shouted as her legs trembled.

Gabriel struck her face. She collapsed on the ground. He didn't say anything to her as he flipped her over and held her down. Marinette fluttered her wings in his face, her first instinct being compromised. Gabriel grabbed them, which already hurt enough, but then he pulled.

She screamed in agony. “Stop! Stop!” Marinette shrieked when she felt the chitin rip. He still had no reaction. “Please! Please, I'll be good!”

“That isn't an issue.” Gabriel said. He stabbed at her wings, watching as she tried to squirm away from him. Marinette fought against the pain to flutter her wings again. He recoiled slightly, and she took advantage of his distraction to fold her wings into her back. They started to sink, but he sliced at her back. The chitin was cut in the process.

Gabriel kept cutting at her back. Each moment felt like an eternity. He finally grew tired of the torture and left the attic. It was hour twenty-six and Marinette didn't feel like she was whole anymore.

\---

“Hey, Marinette.” Nino said as he entered the hospital room. She looked up sleepily. “Alya and I are switching friend duty today. I'm here, and Alya is with Adrien.”

“That'll go just great.” Marinette said as she looked up at the ceiling. “I had never seen her so upset.”

“Yeah, she may have suggested it so she had a free pass to yell at him.” He admitted. “But I agreed because I think I'm the only other person who understands what it's like to be held against your will.” He shuddered as he remembered the laboratory. Marinette frowned at him sadly.

“I appreciate you being here. Do…” She stopped. “Why hasn't Adrien visited me? Is he… ashamed to see me?”

“Well, yeah, but not because of you. He thinks that you must hate him.” Nino said as he sat. “But the only reason he hasn't spent this entire time at your side is because he's still trying to figure out bail.”

Marinette forced herself to sit up. “Bail? As in he was arrested? What for?”

“Grand theft auto.”

She was quiet. “Aren't there laws in place to protect people who steal cars to take one legged kidnapping victims to the hospital?”

“I know, right? What kind of petty fucking bullshit is this?” He laughed. She didn't laugh with him. “How are you?”

She leaned her head back. “Surviving. That's about as much as I can do right now. I'm just… trying to forget.” She closed her eyes, but it was only for a second. She looked at him again. “Nino… how do I get the nightmares to stop?”

He took a ragged breath. “When you figure it out, let me know.”

That wasn't the answer she was looking for. She turned away. They sat together in silence for a long time. “I'm… ashamed to admit this, but I'm a little jealous of you right now.”

Nino recoiled. “Why?”

Marinette shifted. She moved the blankets to show him her stump. The scars were fresh and ugly, and while he hated to think it, they made him a little uncomfortable. “This wouldn't be a problem for you. You stab your hand, the wound heals. You cut off your foot, it grows back.” She covered her stump and then her face. “He mutilates your wings and there won't even be scars to prove it.”

“Marinette…”

“And I know that it's selfish.” She exclaimed. “I know that you suffered, and that your powers were forced upon you. I know that. But, I can't help but feel this way. I can't help but think that if I had your powers, I would be better off.” She was visibly deflated. “I can't help but think that I would feel more like myself.”

Nino excused himself for a moment. He left the hospital room and navigated the halls. He found the medical supply closet and picked the lock--a trick he'd picked up in the lab--to gain access. Nino stole a syringe and hid it as he went back to Marinette's room. He sat down and put the syringe in his arm, extracting some of his blood. “I'm not sure if this will work, but it's worth a try.”

“You're not going to stick that needle in me, are you?” She asked. “That's how people get diseases.”

“If it works, your healing factor will be increased so much that you won't have to worry about any diseases.” Nino reassured her. “But if it doesn't and you get a disease, then you can always blame it on Gabriel Agreste.” Nino looked at his blood. Then, he found Marinette's vein.

“Wait.” She said as she pulled her arm away. “No. I don't want to do this.”

“Okay.” Nino said. “Are you sure? You may not get a chance to do this again.”

Marinette considered it. “Yes, I'm sure. I'm sorry.”

Nino grinned. “Don't be sorry, Mari. You shouldn't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with. Especially not when the outcome is so uncertain.”

“I appreciate this, though.” She smiled. Nino stayed with her for a few hours until her parents came after the bakery closed. They stayed until she fell asleep, so when her nightmares woke her, she was completely alone.

Marinette grabbed the pole that the IV was on. She pulled herself out of the bed and shook on her one leg. She jumped over to the bathroom, dragging the IV behind her. She turned on the light and closed the door. Marinette looked at herself in the mirror.

There were dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was disheveled from weeks of being neglected. She untied her scrubs to reveal her back. She unfolded her wings. They were scarred and damaged. She looked sadly at the large rip near the ends. Marinette fluttered her wings. She could still fly, but it was painful and she couldn’t maintain it for longer than a few seconds.

\---

She was certain Adrien was avoiding her. Ever since she'd gone back to school, he'd dodged her in the halls and he wouldn't answer her calls. But with Nadja breathing down her neck about the interview, it was very important that they speak. She wasn't comfortable doing the interview without him knowing.

She found him leaving the locker room after sport. Marinette rolled her wheelchair over to him. She couldn't wait until she was able to switch the rolling embarrassment seat to a prosthetic. “Adrien! Adrien, please wait for me.”

He turned. He stopped walking to wait for her. “Hi, Marinette. It feels like forever since we last spoke.”

She bit her tongue before she said anything about that. “Listen, I really need to talk to you about something. It's very important.”

“Of course. Whatever you need.” Adrien smiled.

Be careful what you offer, she thought. “Do you know--”

“Marinette!” Lila shouted.

“God damn it.” Marinette whispered. Adrien chuckled.

Lila ran towards the two and grinned. She seemed a little out of breath, and like she had done every single day for the past two weeks, she climbed over the armrests on Marinette's wheelchair and sat on her lap. “I hope I'm not interrupting.”

“You kind of are.” Adrien said.

“God damn it, Lila. I swear.” Marinette hissed as her cheeks turned tomato red. She grabbed the armrests and shifted. “Fine. Since there is obviously no way to convince you not to invade my personal space like this. If you're going to sit on my lap, you're going to have to put your ass between my legs so you don't break my fucking bones.”

“I can live with that.” Lila said. She lifted herself up so Marinette could adjust her position.

“Yeah, you would be, perv.” She muttered.

Lila laughed and booped Marinette's nose with her finger. “It isn't like you're a porcelain doll, though. You aren't as fragile as you think.” She smirked. “Though I am a lot stronger than I look.”

“Right.” She nodded.

Adrien could tell she was annoyed. “So, um, I'll just be going.”

“Wait!” Marinette called out. Adrien kept walking. She blew her bangs out of her face.

Lila folded her arms across her chest. “And he's supposed to be your best friend?” Marinette pushed Lila off of her lap and rolled away. She followed him, but he was much faster than her. She caught sight of him going into the library, and she knew that with a quick flutter of her wings she’d be up there in no time.

Except that she wouldn’t be. She couldn’t get much height with her wings anymore. Marinette sighed and rolled to her next class.

\---

-SEVEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette was sitting on her balcony. She was trying to study, but her mind kept wandering. It was getting close to midnight, and she knew that she would have to go to sleep sooner or later. She decided on later when she spotted Adrien stumbling down the street. He was probably drunk again.

None of them were actually old enough to drink, but some of them did. Marinette didn't like being drunk, so she simply chose not to. Nino didn't drink either, since he didn't like the taste and his healing factor prevented any of the supposed benefits of drinking. Alya drank socially, which was a fancy way of saying that she was allowed to drink wine at parties. Both Lila and Adrien would drink until they blacked out, Adrien more frequently than Lila.

But while Lila was alone and didn't have to worry about her parents, Nino’s mother hated that Adrien drank. In fact, Marinette had heard Nino say that his mother might kick Adrien out if he came home drunk again.

So when she was sure that it was Adrien, she unfurled her wings and floated down to the sidewalk. “Adrien?” She said. Marinette could tell that he wasn't really aware of what was going on. “Come on, man. This is the third time this month. You're going to get in trouble. Nino’s mom might kick you out!”

“Not going home.” He slurred. “Not… going home.” He tried to walk past her.

“Not like this you aren't. Come on, tough guy.” She grabbed him and squeezed. She fluttered her wings, just barely making it up to the balcony before they gave out. Twenty seconds. Not bad. “Adrien, get up.” She said as she looked at the inebriated boy on her balcony.

He was quiet for a moment. “The… no, I want to…” She pulled him up and brought him inside. Marinette put him on the daybed, tucking a pillow under his head and covering him with blankets. “Good to me. Know that?”

“You're not making any sense.” She said as she climbed up into her bed.

“You. Good to me. I missed you.” Adrien muttered. Juleka was right. Adrien did chat when he was drunk. “Nino’s… mom. I love her. Nice lady. But…” He moved his hands. He couldn't find the words. “But I don't think… gets it. You know?”

“She understands.” Marinette argued.

“Know she knows. Know she understands.” He said loudly. “Don't think she gets it. Have to… have to stop this.”

“Stop what?”

“This. Have to stop this.” He motioned to himself. Marinette didn't know if he was referring to the drinking or his life. “Stop it.”

“You don't have to stop tonight.”

He nodded. “No. Not tonight.” He looked at her. “Mari. Marimarimoo.” That was cute, she'd admit it. “I love you.”

Marinette sighed. “I know that you do.”

“I love you. I want to kiss you all the time. Want to hold you.”

“I'm in love with Lila.”

“Lila. Hate Lila. Not good enough for you. No one. Not me.” Adrien had a weird sense of humor. Marinette didn't know if that meant that no one was good enough for her, or if Lila wasn't good enough for her because she wasn't him.

“Adrien, please. Just go to sleep. We can talk in the morning.” He mumbled something. “What did you say?”

“I want to kiss.”

She frowned. “We can't kiss. You're drunk.”

“Not because of Lila?”

“Because you won't remember it. I won't do that. Not to you or anyone.”

“But I won't remember it. Seems better.”

“It isn't. Just go to sleep, my knight. Sleep this off.”

“But I love you.”

Marinette was quiet. “I love you, too.” She said. Adrien seemed pleased with this, so he curled up and fell asleep. She watched him for a moment before she rolled over and dozed off.

He woke her up around sunrise. “Marinette. Marinette!” He was hungover, but at least he was conscious. “How did I get here?”

“You walked, mostly.” She said. “How do you feel?”

“Like a piece of garbage.”

“So, normal.”

He half sighed, half chuckled. Then, Adrien’s face grew serious. “Did I say or do anything… strange last night?”

Marinette didn't want to embarrass him. “Before you came here, I don't know. But once you came inside, you just fell asleep. You didn't really say much. Just that you needed to stop.” She sat up and stretched. “And you do. You have to stop drinking, Adrien.”

“I know. I know.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I'm so sorry about this. I'm just… going to go home.”

“Don't worry about it.” Marinette smiled. “Hit the showers before you go back, though. Try to wash the smell of alcohol and depression out of your hair.” He nodded and left the room. She watched him leave before she fell back asleep.

About half an hour later, Lila woke her up. “Morning, sweetheart.” She said warmly. Lila said that they were going to take a day trip to Bordeaux to visit her parents, who had work there. Marinette asked her to give her a few minutes to change. Once she was dressed, she went downstairs. Lila seemed concerned. “Did… did I just see Agreste leave your bathroom?”

“Yeah.” Marinette said. “He was really wasted, so I made him spend the night here.”

“Doesn't he have his own home that he can sleep at?”

“If he'd gone home, Nino’s mom might have kicked him out.” Marinette grabbed her shoes and pulled them on. “Don't make an issue of this, Lila.”

“Sometimes I worry, though. He's… volatile.” She said. “And… he is his son. When the two of you are alone…”

Marinette pointed at her. “Lila, enough. I don't want you to say anything like that. Adrien is a good person and he'd never hurt me. Ever.” She searched her eyes before she relaxed. “Come on, babe. We’re wasting daylight.”

“So nothing happened?” Lila asked as they left the living room. There was a pause that lasted a second too long. “Sweetie?”

“No, nothing happened. Don't you trust me?” Marinette asked.

She grinned and hugged her. “Of course I do.” Marinette smiled and turned around. Lila kept holding her shoulders, though as Marinette prepared herself to walk down the stairs, she relaxed her grip.

She hesitated for a moment before pushing gently on Marinette's shoulders. Marinette screeched as she tumbled down the stairs. “Ow ow ow!” She cried out.

Lila flew down the stairs. “Marinette! Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Ow! Oh my God.” She was in a lot of pain, and she worried that she had sprained her remaining ankle. Marinette looked at Lila suspiciously, but the genuine concern on her face made her reconsider. “I must have… lost my balance or something.”

“I warned you about those stairs, girl.” Lila said with a grin. She helped her up off the floor. “Can you walk?”

“Y…yeah, I'm fine.” They left the house through the bakery and got into the car.

\---

-THREE YEARS AGO-

There was a knock at her door. Marinette answered it. It was Adrien. “Hi, Marinette. I found a video game I think you'll like!” He said cheerfully. His hair had been dyed black at some point, though his hair had grown since then and the color was running. He was also wearing glasses, which was new.

“Hey, Adrien. Come on in.” Marinette got out of his way. “I have to say, black hair and glasses suits you better than bald or mustache.”

“Those were phases.” He said flatly as he took off his jacket.

She laughed. “And black hair isn't?”

“I'm trying to get rid of it. I was going to get a buzz cut but didn't want to risk a repeat of last year.” Last year was the bald year. The year before was mustache. Adrien couldn't decide on how he wanted to look now that his life was stable.

Adrien set up the gaming system. It had been a Christmas gift from him a long time ago. Marinette pulled her legs up and buried her head in her knees. “Have you…” She paused. “Have you ever considered leaving Paris? Starting somewhere fresh?”

He stopped what he was doing. “Why? Do you think that I should?”

“No! No. I…” She sighed. “I was actually talking about myself. This city…” She looked out the window. “This city has been my entire life. But it holds so many terrible memories for me. I can't help but think… it would be best if I left them all behind.”

“I can't make that decision for you, Marinette. Only you can.” He said.

“There are days I wish that I could just fly away. I wish that I could be free and not worry about this.” Marinette collapsed on the couch. “I wish that I could disappear.”

Adrien frowned sadly. “I understand what you mean.”

She stood up. “No! No you don't! You don't know!” Marinette shouted. “You don't know what it's like to have your one piece of freedom to be taken away from you!”

“Yes, I do. And I know what it's like to not feel safe, bugaboo.” He protested. She sighed again. “I know how you feel. Please, talk to me.”

She sat in the window. He moved so he was closer to her if she chose to jump. “I miss flying. I used to feel so free. Now… now I'm like a bird in a cage.”

“Marinette…” He sat down on the floor next to her. “Maybe you should leave Paris, if that's how you feel.”

She was quiet. “No. I don't think it would feel right living anywhere else.” She stood and sat back down on the couch. “Come on, smart guy. Get this set up.”

Adrien chuckled. “On your order, princess.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Marinette woke after what felt like a thousand years of restless sleep. Adrien’s eyes fluttered as he slept, and she kissed him before getting up. Plagg scratched at her prosthetic, and she fed him. After that, she went into the bathroom.

She washed her face and brushed her hair. Her lips pursed as she thought. Marinette climbed up onto the counter and pulled her nightshirt off. She closed her eyes and endured the sticky feeling as she summoned her wings.

She forced her eyes to open. Her wings were in tatters, one ripped shorter than the other, both ragged at the tear. Marinette sighed. She had half hoped that not calling them out for a few days would repair the chitin, but like most of her dreams, it was just that.

Marinette fluttered them hopelessly. No, they couldn't raise her even a little bit. She pushed her hair out of her face and tucked them away. Now, she could see the scars again. Those ugly gashes that had plagued her for memory upon memory. Marinette reached over and rubbed one near the small of her back. It was still rough to the touch.

Adrien came inside and hugged her. He kissed her cheek before pulling her off of the counter. “You don't want to slip and hurt yourself.” He warned.

“Thanks.” She said.

He noticed her frown. “What's wrong?”

“I was just…” She laughed and waved him off. “It's silly, really. Don't worry about it.”

“Marinette, please.” He took her shoulders in his hands and moved her chin up so she was looking at him. “You can tell me.”

“It's my wings.” She said. “I had a dream about them. And I woke up hoping they were still there, but… when I checked, I just got sad again.”

Adrien frowned. “I'm sure that losing them was like losing a part of your identity.”

“It was, but…” Marinette paused. “But I guess I lost that part of myself a long time ago.” She laughed again. “It's stupid.”

“It isn't stupid.” He said, pushing her hair behind her ears. She smiled at him and pushed her face against his hands. Her face was warm, his fingers cold. “Are you alright?”

“I will be, in time.” She hugged him. She dug around in her backpack. “In the interim, why don't we go out for breakfast or something? It's been awhile since I've wandered Paris.”

Adrien smiled. “That sounds like fun.” He watched her for a moment. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Marinette grinned. “Any reason why you're saying it?”

“No. I didn't think I needed one.” He closed the bathroom door. She covered her mouth. Marinette had forgotten that relationships were supposed to make one feel better about themself. Early on, with Lila, she'd always feel great. And later, there were moments where it was still great. She knew that this honeymoon phase would end. Their relationship wouldn't be cutesy forever as they got used to one another. But that comfortable feeling was just as nice as this.

Marinette blinked when she heard him turn on the shower. “Shit, I forgot to pee.” She whispered.


	14. Liar Liar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which there is more than one reference to John Mulaney.

“Okay, follow my footsteps.” Marinette coached in their new hotel room. Adrien did his best to keep up with her feet, but with every step he worried he’d crush her remaining toes. “You'll never be able to dance with Juleka if you can't get the steps right.”

“It isn't Juleka I'm worried about. She'll be fine if I don't dance perfectly.” Adrien said. “It's Rose who worries me. I'll be ruining her wedding if I'm not perfect.”

“To be fair, in her eyes, you’ll be ruining her wedding just by showing up.” She pointed out.

He sighed. “Thanks,” he said sarcastically, “you always know just what to say.”

She laughed. “Anytime.”

Adrien’s phone rang. He picked it up, annoyed. “Hello, this is Adrien Félix.” He muttered into the phone.

“Monsieur Félix, you have to come to the office!” The receptionist shouted into the phone. He moved it away from his ear. Marinette hid a grin. “The Song account holders are calling today and you're the only person here who speaks Chinese!”

“How am I the only person there who speaks Chinese?” He rubbed his temples. “I'm on--”

“I know you're on vacation but this is an emergency!” The receptionist begged. “Please! You have to help us!”

“Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Marinette whispered.

“Shush.” Adrien hissed.

“You're my only hope!”

“Fine. Fine. I'll be there.” He frowned. “Don't get used to this.”

“Thank you! Also, can you go to the store and pick up paper plates, cups, plastic silverware and gluten free cookies?” She asked.

He paused. “Why?”

“It's Bridgette from payroll’s birthday!”

“There is no--” The receptionist hung up. Adrien sighed again and looked at his phone. “I didn't even say that I would.”

“Wait, were you about to say that Bridgette from payroll doesn't exist?” Marinette asked.

Adrien chuckled. “No, she doesn't. She's someone my coworker made up so people wouldn't ask him questions he couldn't answer.” He dug through his bags and found some work clothes. He changed into them and ran a comb through his hair. “But anyway, I've got to take care of this. Did you want to come?”

“To your office?” Marinette thought. “I guess it'll be more fun than hanging around here.”

“Okay. You get changed, and I'll bring the car around.” Adrien left the hotel room and dialed his office from the elevator. Todd answered it, but when it was requested, he was put on a conference call with the department heads. “I'm coming in today. I'm bringing my girlfriend. Her name is Marinette and there's something you need to know.”

“What is it?” Roseanne asked.

“My girlfriend only has one leg,” he explained as he got into his car, “and I don't want anyone to make her feel uncomfortable about it, so if you have any obnoxious, invasive questions, I'd prefer you direct them at me, now.”

“How did she lose her leg?” Todd shouted before anyone else could react.

“That's a perfect example of what you're not going to ask.” Adrien shot him down.

He answered a few of their questions, but ended the call when Marinette got into the car. She smiled at him. “Okay, let's go.”

\---

-FOUR YEARS AGO-

Adrien and Juleka made a point to spend time together as often as they could. They usually met up on the second Monday of every month, though they didn't always get the chance. On this night they had left Paris for a smaller city about an hour away. They were on their way home.

Juleka was driving Adrien’s car. He'd had a long night, and had nearly fallen asleep while they were hanging out. He was definitely asleep now as his legs curled up and his eyelids fluttered. She giggled when he let out a tiny, cat-like snore.

She liked driving, though she didn't often get the opportunity. It was dark and raining, her favorite kind of weather. In fact, everything about this moment was perfect. A close friend dozing, a cool night, the idea of her girlfriend waiting for her at home… Juleka wished that this moment would never end.

That's when a drunk driver slammed into them, sending the car rolling into the wilderness.

Adrien saw flashes of things he couldn't yet understand. A woman in orange, tightening breaths, blood running down his body…

His eyes snapped open. He was in a hospital, a mask over his mouth and an IV in his arm. Nino sat by his side, his eyes wide with fear. He looked up. “Adrien! Buddy! You're awake!” He exclaimed.

“What… where am I?” He muttered.

“You're in the hospital. You were on your way home when your car was hit by a drunk driver.” Nino explained. “The doctors said you hit your head pretty badly. How do you feel?”

Adrien chuckled. “I'm on a gurney,” he joked.

“Shut it.” Nino snapped. “The good news is that you're going to be okay. I already called your office, they know where you are. I told Marinette, too.”

“Why would you do that?” He demanded. “Now she's just going to worry herself sick, but we both know that I'm not going to go over there to show her that I'm fine!”

“I figured that if you had brain damage, she might want to know.” He frowned. “But I’d be lying if I said that I didn't do it in hopes visiting you here would be enough of an incentive to prompt her to leave her apartment.”

“She hates hospitals.”

“She loves you.”

Adrien sighed. “No, she doesn't.”

Nino chuckled. “Right.” He said sarcastically.

His eyes grew wide. “Wait. Juleka!” He sat up. Nino pushed him back down. “I was with Juleka last night! Is she okay? Where is she?”

“She's fine. She's got a concussion but she's going to make a full recovery.”

Adrien relaxed. “Thank goodness.” He paused. “And the other driver?”

“Fine, other than the gaping asshole that is his personality and sense of judgment.”

Adrien held his head as he saw fire. Fire consuming everything, and then a woman in red, reaching for him…

“Hey, you okay?” Nino asked. Adrien faked a smile.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien looked at the ingredients on the gluten free cookies. How the fuck was he supposed to know what he was looking for? These looked right but he didn't know for sure. He looked up when Marinette dropped a box of condoms in the basket he carried, but he didn't say anything. “Does someone in your office have an allergy to gluten?”

“I don't know.” He muttered.

“I'm so glad I'm not allergic to it.”

“It would have made growing up in a bakery a lot harder, I'm sure.”

Marinette was about to respond when someone tapped Adrien’s shoulder. It was a middle-aged woman with her hair in a ponytail. “Excuse me,” she said, “but are you Adrien Agreste?”

“No,” he said, like a liar.

“Oh,” the woman seemed embarrassed. “You look just like him.” She laughed. “But I'm sure you get that all the time!”

He did. “Not really.” He lied again. Marinette bit her nails to keep from laughing. She hated lies and liars but listening to Adrien mess with people had always been, and always would be, hilarious.

She pulled out her phone. “No, see, look! You look just like him!” She showed them a picture of Adrien when he was still a model.

“I don't see the resemblance.” Adrien looked back at the cookies.

“Is that… picture saved on your phone?” Marinette asked. “That kid’s, like, twelve.” Adrien glared at her. She covered her grin. “Is he your son? Why is he on your phone?”

“Don't worry! It's at least a decade old. He's got to be, like, forty now.” The woman said.

“Because that's what you get when you add twelve and ten.” Adrien said loudly. Marinette could hardly contain her laughter. He rolled his eyes and dropped the cookies in the basket. He grabbed Marinette's hand and made his way to the checkout.

“Does that really not happen a lot?” She asked.

“It happens every single time I leave my fucking house.” He muttered. “Also, thanks a lot, captain no help.”

\---

Adrien's office was pretty bland. She didn't know why she expected different, or even what she had expected. The receptionist was a young woman who probably hadn't slept well in a month. Her hair seemed dim and it was falling out of the bun. Her nameplate read ‘Serenity’. Oh, now that was just a mean name to give to the queen of stress. “Hello, Monsieur Félix!” She said with a nervous smile.

“Hi, Sara.” He said. She blushed. Marinette frowned. “I assume you want this stuff in the break room?”

“That's fine!” She looked at Marinette. “Oh, here's your visitor’s pass!” She walked over to the desk. Serenity caught her hands. “It's good of you to do this.”

She seemed confused. She looked at Adrien, who just motioned for her to follow him. She pinned the pass to her sweater. “What did she mean by that?”

“Serenity thinks I'm gay.” He said flatly.

“However did she get that impression?” She teased.

\---

-LAST YEAR-

“Thanks for visiting me, Sara. I'm doing much better.” Adrien said. He'd just gotten released from the psych ward. It was snowing outside, and New Year’s Eve was but a few days away. He made hot chocolate for her. Serenity sat on his couch, a bit nervous but more relaxed than she usually was.

“We all worry about you when these… things happen to you.” She said. She took the cup from him. “Mostly me. And Donna. She loves you like a son. But especially me.”

Adrien chuckled awkwardly. “That's nice of you to say, but I really am doing better.”

She scooched closer to him. “I'm glad to hear it.” Serenity put a hand on his knee. “I miss you when you're gone.”

He stared at her hand. Oh, no. If he didn't figure some way out of this, it could end very, very badly. Thankfully, a knock came to the door. “Excuse me for one moment.” He shot up and ran for the door.

Nino was on the other side. “Hey, dude. I heard you were released. That's awesome news!” He said. “I'm sure you just want to relax, but--”

“Honey! You're finally home!” Adrien shouted. He hugged Nino tightly. “Just play along.” He whispered into Nino’s coat. “Come inside before you catch your death of cold!”

“Okay, whatever you say.” Nino said with a chuckle. He went inside and took his coat off. When he looked up, he saw Serenity trying to hide the blush that had claimed her cheeks. “You didn't say we had company.”

“Serenity is a friend from work. She just stopped by to see how I was feeling.” Adrien said. He looked back at the embarrassed receptionist. He felt bad for embarrassing her, but this was the best thing he could come up with on short notice. “Serenity, this is Nino, my boyfriend.”

She stood and offered her hand. He took it. “It's nice to meet you!” She said. “H-have you two been together long?”

Nino spoke before Adrien did. “It'll be a year in July!”

“That explains so much!” She said.

They spoke for a while longer before she left. Nino frowned at Adrien. “There were better ways to handle that.”

Adrien sighed. “I'm sorry. She had just started to come onto me when you showed up. I figured this would be an easy way to keep her out of my business.”

“Yes, I suppose it would be hard to explain to someone the intricacies of your personal life. However, if you ever change your mind, I can get the marriage annulled lickety split.”

He laughed. “I will not change my mind.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“That was not cool of you.” She scolded as they went into Adrien’s office. It was pretty tiny, a couple of comfortable chairs facing his desk. The window overlooked the streets. Other than two photos, one of his mother and the other of him, her, Nino and Alya before Gabriel kidnapped her, there wasn't anything personal inside.

He sat down at his desk and started typing. Marinette was already bored. She got out her phone and played a few games. She heard Adrien speaking in Chinese--and she was proud to point out that she understood almost half of what he was saying!

But she grew antsy eventually and excused herself. Marinette wandered the halls of the offices. Most everyone was working, the only sound being clicking keys and the occasional telephone call. There were people preparing the break room for a party. Among them was Miriam. “Hey,” Marinette said, peeking inside. Miriam turned. “How are you? You look better!”

“Oh, I remember you.” Miriam said when she turned. “I'm sorry I attacked you.”

“Don't worry about it. I've been hurt worse, and it wasn't your fault.” Marinette smiled.

Miriam still seemed upset. “What are you doing here?”

She blushed. “Oh, I'm a… friend of Monsieur Félix.” She didn't know what to call their relationship. They hadn't talked about it. It was certainly a relationship but--

“So you're fucking him, right?” Miriam asked her point-blank. “Mother never mentioned him having a girlfriend but that was a weird thing you just said.”

“What is… you have… why would you…”

“Is that a yes?”

Marinette pouted. “Jumping into bed with people sooner than most people would consider healthy may or may not be one of my personal flaws as a human being but that's not what--”

Miriam laughed suddenly. “You're not a human. You're one of those freaks.” She mocked.

“Freaks are human, Miriam.”

“No, you aren't.” She said cruelly. Marinette shook when she saw the intensity in Miriam’s eyes. She walked out of the room, unable to keep her hands still.

\---

-SEVEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette was changing after sport. She was still sore from the night before. Lila hadn't meant to hurt her. She didn't. She was just so strong, and she was so passionate. She would just get upset at the idea that Marinette was…

Oh, who was she kidding. Marinette pulled her gym shirt over her head and threw it into a plastic bag. Last year, if Adrien had asked her to run away with him and live in sin, she'd have dropped everything to do it. But the same question today would have resulted in a hundred poorly constructed reasons why not. Marinette was trapped in this relationship.

“You're a freak!” Someone screamed. Marinette blinked and turned around. Chloé was pointing at her. She looked behind her. Her wings, broken as they were, had answered her nonvocal cry for help. She yelped and pushed them down. Chloé kept screaming. “Dupain-Cheng is a freak! She's a freak!”

“Keep your voice down!” She begged.

“Hell no!” She screamed in her face. “You're a freak! An inhuman monster!”

“Chloé, please! My life is hard enough as--”

“Get away from me, Marinette! Don't touch me with your freak hands!” She tried to run out of the room, right into Lila.

She laughed. “I heard heterosexual screaming and came to investigate. And look who I found!”

“Rossi! Your girlfriend is a fucking freak!”

“Is she now?”

Chloé pulled out her phone and showed Lila the picture she took. “A freak!”

“Are you fucking broken?” Lila asked after Chloé shouted ‘freak’ for what felt like the thousandth time. She took the phone from her hand and held it tight. Lila crushed Chloé’s phone in one motion. She opened her palm and drew attention to the falling pieces. “Oh, no! It's just your phone that's broken!”

“You…” Her face grew tomato red. “You're a freak too! You're both freaks!”

Lila moved close to her face. “Prove it.”

Chloé screamed and stormed out of the locker room. Marinette pulled a tee shirt out of her locker. “Is she right? Are we… inhuman?”

Lila shrugged. “Who gives a shit? Humans suck.” She said. “If we aren't human, we should be proud of it. And if we are, then I guess we’re allowed to celebrate our differences or whatever straight people shout at Pride.”

Marinette laughed. “I guess you're right.”

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Marinette opened the door to Adrien’s office. He was still on call, but she didn't care. She climbed into his lap and put her head on his chest. “Um,” Adrien chuckled, and in Chinese, he said, “I'll call you back.” He hung up. “Are you okay, bugaboo?”

“Are we… inhuman?” An idea she had wrestled with for thirteen years.

“Probably.” He shrugged. “Why do you ask?”

“Miriam said--”

“Why is Miriam here?”

“I don't know.” She sighed. “But she said that I'm not human.”

“How old is she? Fourteen?” He asked. “She's still at an age in which kids can be called snot nosed. Who cares about the Chloé of this generation?”

“I do!” Marinette protested.

He pulled her up into his lap. He kissed her eyes. “Marinette, do you feel human?”

“Most days.”

“Then you are human.” He said. She huffed, but she smiled and put her head back on his chest.

A woman opened the door. She was older and chubby. She jumped. “Oh, I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?”

“No, Donna. Did you need something?” Adrien asked.

“Yes. Could the two of you follow me for a moment?” The woman, Donna, asked. Marinette moved off of Adrien's lap and they followed her. She led them, unsurprisingly, to the break room. Inside was a party with Batman balloons.

“Surprise!” His coworkers shouted.

“Oh no,” Adrien said flatly, “how did I totally not see this obvious ruse coming?”

Marinette slapped his shoulder. “Don't be an ass.”

Donna grabbed Adrien’s hands. “We threw this party for you as thanks for saving Miriam, and to show you that we support you, and your decision to be a superhero.”

Adrien smiled. “Thank you. Everyone.” He said.

For a while, they mingled. The television played softly in the background, barely audible over the voices of partygoers. Marinette partook in office gossip. Adrien caught up with his coworkers. They both enjoyed the food, though admittedly they avoided the gluten free cookies. Miriam seemed to be avoiding the two of them, her hesitation towards freaks understandable but still unfortunate.

“Shut up, everyone!” A man in a dark red polo shouted. He jumped onto a chair and turned the television up. “Volpina’s on TVi!”

Adrien scoffed. “Andy, turn that shit off!” He shouted over murmurs.

“No way! She's a super! She could help you two out!” The man, Andy, argued. “I heard that the Mayor of Paris hired her to assassinate his rivals!”

“I heard that she can lift three times her own weight and can fly!” Roseanne said.

“It's only twice and it's more like guided falling.” Marinette muttered into her punch.

Nadja was still lead reporter. Her hair had started to grey but she was handling it gracefully. Her eyes seemed tired. “…us more about your reason for being in Paris?”

Volpina smiled. “Oh, it's wonderful to back in the City of Love. I lived here many years ago but was forced to leave because of circumstances outside of my control.”

“You were in complete control.” Marinette hissed.

“God, I want to get wasted after this.” Adrien said quietly.

“But I'm back because I was hired to investigate the escape of the infamous serial killer, Gabriel ‘the Pale’ Agreste.” She added. “I've been fairly successful in finding his agents and eliminating them.”

“Would you say Paris is safer now that you're protecting it?” Nadja asked.

Volpina grinned. “Oh, absolutely. France has too few superheroes as it is. Any more soldiers added to the cavalry is only a benefit.” She said.

“And do you have anything you can share with the local police to make his capture easier?”

“But of course!” She looked at the camera. “Gabriel Agreste is a coward. A snake.”

Adrien recoiled. “Lila, no. Don't do that.” He muttered.

“He preys on the most helpless of victims and hurts them so badly that they fear him. He wants fear. Don't give him that. If he were really a villain to be feared, he would challenge me himself, rather than send his agents from the shadows.” Volpina ran her fingers through her hair. “He's a pitiful old man sending the weak willed to do his bidding. He's no different than any shadowy figure claiming authority when they have none.”

“Powerful words.” Nadja said.

Volpina looked at her. “There's something else. I've been doing some investigation, and I have reason to believe that his son, Adrien Agreste, is working with him.” He felt his world grow tight around him, but she only shrugged. “Like father,” she said as Marinette reached over and took his hand, “like son.”

“Adrien Agreste was suspected nine years ago of assisting his father in the kidnapping of victim fourteen Marinette Dupain-Cheng, but charges were dropped in exchange for his testimony.” Nadja reminded the crowd.

Marinette moved closer to him. “We’ll get this cleared up. It's just a lie. We can prove that it's a lie.” She reassured him, but his face was frozen in shock.

Volpina smiled. “I also know that he goes by a fake name.” Adrien didn't know he could be any more tense. “Adrien Félix.”

Everything happened at once, but as though it were in slow motion.

Nadja cut to commercial break. Marinette used her telekinesis to flip the TV off. Adrien’s coworkers spun around to stare at him. They didn't know. They didn't know who he was until that moment. They didn't know until he was standing there, frozen in the face of accusations he thought he had escaped nine years ago.

He didn't move until his phone rang. It was a friend he had made in the grocery store. He denied it. As soon as it stopped ringing, another call came through. It was the girl who watched Plagg when he was in the hospital. He denied it. New call. It was Nathalie. Denied.

Alya. Denied.

Marinette's landlord. Denied.

His next door neighbor. Denied.

Tom and Sabine. Denied.

Nino. Denied.

“You know what?” He said in a shaking voice. He looked up. He was dissociative. He couldn't recognize their faces. Not even Marinette's. “I just remembered that I have to quit immediately.” He backed towards the door, his powers going haywire and destroying the window. “Goodbye forever.”

It was his boss. Former boss. Denied.

Adrien stumbled down the hall. He knew Marinette was following him, but she sounded different. She sounded far away.

It was Nino again. Denied.

He found his things and dug around for his cigarettes. Marinette said something but he couldn't make out the words. He stuck a cigarette in his mouth and struggled to light it.

It was Nathalie again. Denied.

He stumbled out into the hallway. He pushed the elevator button over and over and over and over and--his powers short circuited it. “God fucking damn it!” He shouted. He kicked the doors. “Fucking damn it all to hell!”

It was his personal accountant. Denied.

Adrien walked down the stairs. He felt blood dripping down his arm. He looked at it. He heard the screams again. “Shut up shut up shut up!” He screamed as he tore at his hair.

It was Nino, for the third time. Denied.

He threw the cigarette onto the ground. He was flying down the steps at this point, as though he could run from this problem. It was just a dream. It had to be. Not even Lila would do something like that, would she?

It was Juleka. Denied.

It was Donna. Denied.

It was Alya again. Denied.

It was Tom and Sabine again. Denied.

Juleka. Nino. Alya. Nathalie. Donna. Nino. Nino. Juleka. Alya.

Denied denied denied denied denied.

Warden Belrose.

Adrien answered it.

“You aren't even legally my father anymore and you're still ruining my life.” He hissed into the phone.

“Who is she?! Who is Volpina?!” Gabriel shouted.

He scoffed. “Wouldn't you like to know.”

“I am not a coward! Who is she?!”

“You know what, Father?” Adrien said. He was outside now. “Eat shit and die.” He destroyed his phone and dropped the pieces in the trash.

“Adrien!” Marinette said. She caught his hands and looked into his eyes. She held his face in her hands. “Thank God you finally stopped! You made me climb down all those stairs!” She frowned. “On my one leg!”

“Lila fucking did that to ruin me. I'm ruined. I'm never going to be able to disprove my involvement when it's her word against mine.” He said.

“She's a life ruiner!” Marinette agreed. “But we can prove that you're innocent!”

“How? How can we do that?” He asked. “How do we prove that I'm not affiliated with him?”

“We’ll think of something!” She held his hands. “We made it through the first time. Now we’re older and we’re smarter and we’ll make it through. Together.” She led him back towards the car. “Let's go back to the hotel.”

\---

-NINE YEARS AGO-

It was his first day back in school. He wasn't prepared for the silence that he was met with. He wasn't prepared for the glares from people he once considered friends. No one but Nino, Chloé and Juleka would talk to him until Marinette returned and confirmed that he wasn't involved, and even then it wasn't the same.

For now, he endured their stares. He endured the spitballs Alya had prepared. He endured the threats from Ivan and Kim. Ignore them. Ignore them. He deserved it.

Adrien stayed in school during the lunch break. He dug a razor blade out of his backpack and cut his wrists in the boys’ bathroom. He sobbed in the stalls until it was time to go back to class.

His world was ending. And it was all. His. Fault.


	15. Relapse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which there is an ~intense trigger warning!~

-TWELVE YEARS AGO-

It had been an accident at first. Honestly, it was. Adrien hadn't gone to dark corners of the internet looking for ways to hurt himself. He hadn't come across some website run by vampires that called for blood. It was just an accident!

He had been wandering the halls of the mansion. He was trying to get used to his mother not being there. That's all it had been. Just moping and wandering and feeling sorry for himself.

And he'd found himself in his father’s sewing room. Gabriel had said that he sometimes missed working with the fabric. As a designer, he was more concept now, as opposed to actual creation. So he would go into his sewing room and make something there--small things, usually. His mother had once owned a scarf that had been made here. Adrien had a pair of gloves that he adored.

He'd gone inside for no real reason. It wasn't like he was forbidden from going inside--the only forbidden place was the attic. He just usually didn't. He didn't have any reason to.

Adrien had looked around. He looked at some scrapped designs that hadn't been good enough to even color. He dug around in the scraps of fabrics that had been abandoned when Gabriel decided it didn't look right. He was just being nosy, really.

A cuckoo clock went off three times, startling him. Adrien jumped and backed into the wall. A sharp pair of scissors fell from their place and sliced his arm. He held his arm and backed away from it. The cut wasn't too deep but it hurt and the blade had blood on it.

It had been an accident! But his father would freak out if he knew that he'd been cut! And there was the evidence, sticking straight up out of the hardwood floor and stained red.

Adrien grabbed the scissors and hid them in his pocket. He moved a box of fabric over a few centimeters to cover the tiny cut in the wood. He scurried back to his room and washed them in the bathroom. He dug around for bandages, but the shirt he wore had been sliced as well.

Oh well. He took the shirt off and threw it in the trash. He fixed the bandages and looked at the scissors. Adrien stared at them and the bandages for a long time before he threw them in a drawer and vowed to return them when they were dry.

They were bloody again a few days later when he got into an argument with Chloé. And then again a few days after that when his father told him to jump off a bridge if he didn't like his rules. Then it was constant. Every night Adrien would be holding the scissors against his arm, cutting at the skin because he felt better when he was bleeding.

Adrien eventually returned the scissors when his father mentioned that they were missing. He'd washed them first, but not well. They were still red when he hung them back in their place, dripping watered down blood on the hardwood.

A cry for help, he realized in hindsight. He was begging for someone to stop him. To help him figure out why he had to hurt himself.

Instead, Gabriel just put a lock on the sewing room door.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

The hotel room was cold and empty. Plagg ran to greet them, and Adrien buried his face in his black fur. He meowed uncomfortably and crawled out of the hug. Marinette called Nino and Alya, and while the conference call was on speaker, Adrien wasn't really paying attention to it.

Marinette walked around the room and gathered every stray cord she could find. She threw them into a drawer on her side of the bed. She said something to him, but it didn't really register. Adrien was trying to focus more on what was being said, but he could only pick of bits and pieces of what she was saying. Nino and Alya just sounded like noise.

He covered his ears. He couldn't differentiate between the voices in the room and the sounds of the city. All were just as loud in his head.

Marinette looked at him and said something. She kept looking, so he assumed that she had asked him a question. “I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said.”

“I said that Nino and Alya are going to come over so we can discuss ways to handle a war on two fronts. Are you alright with that?” She repeated.

He rubbed his face. “Yeah. Yeah, of course. That sounds… good.”

She frowned sadly. “Okay. We’ll wait here for you.”

Nino’s voice came clearly. “Stay safe, you two. Don't do anything reckless.”

She hung up. “Are you doing okay? You look sort of pale.”

“Don't say pale.” He said. “And of course I'm not fine.”

“Can I do anything?” 

“Probably not, but I'll keep you posted.”

She sat down next to him and lifted Plagg into her lap. “Did you hear any of what Nino or Alya said?”

“No, I didn't. I started dissociating as soon as we got in the room.” Adrien put his head on the pillow. “I'm back now, though.”

“So Nino is going to try to clear your name. The only thing that connects you to Gabriel is her word. Once people know that she lied about having evidence, it won't mean anything.” She said. “But we have to find and protect Lila. Your father is going to attack her.”

“Do we have to?” He whined.

“Yes, we have to. Because if he challenges her himself, either she kills him or he enslaves her. We can't have either of those.”

“We've barely started and I'm already exhausted.” He sighed. “I'm tired of moving between hiding spots and I'm tired of fighting him.” He covered his eyes with his elbow. “I'm starting to wonder if it would be so terrible if he died.”

“That's not up to us.” Marinette said. She put Plagg on the bed and curled up next to Adrien. “Besides, even if Lila kills Gabriel, then her next step would be to kill you.”

“Can I borrow your phone so I can Tweet her my address?” He joked.

“Listen, my knight, self deprecative humor is much scarier when I know you've just finished dissociating.” She scolded gently. “And if she kills you, then it won't be long before she finds me.”

He muttered something incoherent. He pulled her closer and buried his face into her hair. Adrien held her close, as though if he let her go she would disappear. He looked out the window, his eyes showing that he was somewhere far away. She kept talking, probably just to fill the void. She sounded as far away as he looked.

He stood up. Marinette looked at him. “Where are you going?” She asked, sounding almost offended.

“Shower. Is that okay?” He chuckled as he picked up his backpack. He didn't like changing in front of her. She understood why, at least.

She held out her hand. “Give me your belt.”

“What?”

“Give me your belt.” He still looked confused. “I already told you that I'm hoarding anything you could use to hang yourself with until I'm certain that you aren't going to hang yourself.”

“You're being ridiculous.”

“Am I, monsieur dissociated-twice-in-the-span-of-an-hour?”

He chuckled again. “Fine, you're right.” He admitted. He took off his belt and handed it to her. She put it with the cords she had hidden. He offered her another smile before closing the bathroom door. When she was out of sight, he slid down the door and sighed. Adrien started digging around in his backpack.

\---

-ELEVEN YEARS AGO-

The camera flashed. This has always come naturally to him. Maybe being in the spotlight his whole life had influenced that, but he had no way of knowing. But today, he flinched with every flash. His scars were exposed, and while they were sparse, they went all the way up to his elbow.

“Adrien, you're giving me nothing.” The photographer complained. “You look like you're in pain. That's not what I'm looking for!”

He tried his best to act natural. He was more comfortable when his arm was hidden, but the photographer kept pushing. Adrien kept pushing back, trying to be more bold while still hiding. It didn't work.

Eventually the camera caught his scars. The photographer was quiet. “What are these?” He asked loudly.

Adrien flushed. “I don't know.” He lied. He didn't even offer an explanation.

The photographer shrugged it off. “We have a deadline. We’ll deal with this later.”

The magazine came out about a week later. Adrien mentally prepared himself for a lecture that never came. Eventually he picked up a magazine and looked at the pictures, out of curiosity more than anything else.

The scars had been photoshopped out. Completely. Even the faded ones. There was no indication that they had ever even been there.

So, he realized with defeat, it didn't really matter what he did. No one would ever notice or care. He sighed and threw the magazine in the trash.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Adrien held the razor blade in his hand as the water pounded on his head. He slammed the back of his head against the wall. The blood was flowing down the drain… Why did he keep doing this? He closed his eyes for a moment before he looked at his wrist.

There was the vein. He pressed the blade against it, flinching only briefly as it pierced skin. He brought it up, watching the blood.

He followed the vein until he heard a large crash outside. “Oh, come on!” Marinette shouted.

“Is everything okay?” Adrien called.

She didn't reply right away. “Yeah.” She said finally.

“What happened?”

“Your cat happened.” There was a pause. “I'll take care of it.”

Adrien rolled his eyes and hid a grin. As much as he wished that this hadn't happened, being with Marinette made him so happy. He looked at his bleeding arm. Just seeing her every day was fulfilling--

This was a stupid idea. Oh God, this was the worst idea he'd ever had!

Adrien couldn't say that knowing Marinette loved him had fixed everything, because that just wasn't true. To be honest, slicing open his wrists was still the only thing he wanted to do. But after hearing her voice, he realized that if he did this, Marinette would be the one who would find his body. She'd be the one who would have to deal with whatever came next and she'd have to do it almost completely alone.

He just couldn't do that to her.

Adrien turned the water off and got out of the shower. He dressed quickly, ignoring the fact that he was wearing a short sleeved shirt and no undershirt. He dug around for something to stop the bleeding, but the only thing he found was a box of small Band-Aids. “Why am I so fucking stupid?” He muttered. He clutched the cut as it gushed through his fingers.

Marinette was using her telekinesis to fix a lamp that Plagg must have knocked off the side table. “So Alya texted me.” She said as she plugged the lamp back in. “She asked around and it looks like Lila is staying at the Grand Paris. Which makes sense but is also stupid as hell.” She smiled at him. “Nino called the prison and they sent over your father’s records. He's got some idea so while he's doing whatever he's doing, we’re going to--”

“Change of plans.” He interrupted. He showed her his arm, and she recoiled. “I need you to take me to the hospital.”

She jumped over the bed, then grabbed a shirt from her suitcase and a belt from the drawer. She bound his wrist with the shirt and used the belt to restrict blood flow at his elbow. Marinette grabbed her purse and pulled him out the door.

\---

-SIX YEARS AGO-

Being eighteen was great. Since Adrien had access to his father's fortune now, he'd bought a house and a car, meaning he was able to move out of Nino’s home. His friends visited him sometimes, but he was slowly growing more isolated. It was better that way. It just was.

Especially now that Marinette hated him. He hadn't meant to make her so upset. He hadn't. But he was right to be concerned, right? It didn't matter. He'd ruined their friendship, just like he ruined everything else. Adrien pulled out a cigarette, sat on his porch and started smoking.

He'd promised himself that he wouldn't cut so long as he was smoking. Adrien didn't need two deadly habits. But here he was, a cigarette between his teeth and blood dripping off his fingers onto the cement path. He wondered if he should check himself into a longer term mental hospital, rather than just staying in the psych ward for a few days like he usually did.

But God, did he hate the idea of that. Being in the psych ward was already like being in prison. But at least prisoners were allowed to go outside! He finished the cigarette and put it out on the step.

Yep. Being eighteen was just fucking perfect.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

After a few hours of chaos as the doctors hurried to stop the bleeding, Adrien and Marinette were alone in the hospital room. She was still freaking out, though she had calmed down considerably. He was quiet, almost ominously so. “I'm sorry.” He said finally. It was at least the hundredth time he'd said it just that day alone.

She grabbed his hand and rubbed it with her thumb. “I'm sorry, too.” She didn't let go of his hand.

“Why are you sorry? You did everything reasonable to try to prevent this. You know I don't change in front of you. I've never slit my wrists before.” He argued. “You couldn't have known it was coming. Even I didn't think I was going to do it.”

“I'm sorry that I couldn't…” She paused. “I'm sorry that I couldn't have kept it from coming to this in the first place.”

“There's nothing you could have done.” He said. He pulled her hand to his face and kissed it. She wriggled her hand free and booped his nose. Adrien smiled but it was brief. “I just… thought I was past this. The last time I got out of the psych ward I was in such a good place. Then this happens and…” He looked out the window. “And then Lila brings this up. I thought that…”

Marinette frowned. “I told her repeatedly that you had nothing to do with what your father did. Even if she didn't believe me, she still got up there and lied to millions of people and she can't even claim that she didn't know any better.”

“She intentionally accused me of helping him because she knew that it would hurt me. She knew that people I cared about would turn against me.” He looked up at the ceiling. “She may have even done it with the intention of turning you against me.”

“I would never do that.” She said.

He smiled. “I know.” It faded as he thought. After a moment, he couldn't help but ask, “Did you ever wonder if I had helped my father? Did you ever… doubt me?”

“Not for a second.”

“But nearly everyone else did.”

“Yes, but I never doubted you.” She brushed stray hairs out of his face. “I remember vividly the face you made when I burst into your bathroom. Pure shock, disbelief, confusion… you’ve never made one quite like it since. If I could show people… if I could show them what I saw, they'd know better.” She closed her eyes. “They’d know you’re innocent.”

He pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. They sat in silence until Nino and Alya arrived. Alya seemed furious, and she couldn't stand still. Her heels clicked against the linoleum. Nino just kept asking about Adrien’s health.

It was Adrien who directed them back to their mission. “Do we have eyes on Lila?”

Alya nodded. “I used a watchdog spell to split my consciousness. I can see her just fine.”

“What is she doing?” Nino asked.

“Nothing, right now.” Alya said. “That will change quickly.”

Marinette sighed. “We can't do anything with Adrien in this room.”

“You are more than capable of protecting Lila on your own.” Alya pointed out.

“Yes, my two most famous abusers, together for the first time ever, and I'm the one who has to take them both on.” She said flatly. “No.”

“You two should go with her.” Adrien said. “This will take a long time. I might have to go to the psych ward again.”

“All the more reason someone should stay here.” Marinette argued.

“Let's compromise.” Nino said. “The girls go protect Lila, and I'll stay here with Adrien.” He opened his briefcase. “I have some legal things to ask him anyway.”

They ironed out the basics of a plan quickly. Marinette kissed Adrien before she and Alya left the room. Adrien and Nino were quiet for a long time. “So,” Adrien said with a weak smirk, “back at it again, aren't we?”

“How about we just get down to business.” He said. Adrien sighed. He got out a pad of paper and started taking notes. “When was the last time you spoke to your father in person?”


	16. Crash and Burn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which her name is Lila Rossi, has always been Lila Rossi and you can't prove that it wasn't.

“The last time I spoke to my father was just after my eighteenth birthday.” Adrien said. He twiddled his fingers idly as he added, “I told him that I intended to fall off the face of the earth, and that if he ever tried to contact me, I would call the warden.”

“Did the warden know about this?” Nino asked without looking up from his pad of paper.

He nodded. “Yes. He was also the only person at the prison who knew how to contact me.” He closed his eyes. “But I asked him only to do so if someone’s life was on the line.”

“Why didn't you just cut ties to your father completely?” He asked. “You had your freedom and his money. You didn't need to give the warden your contact info.”

“Well, if my father had died suddenly, I would have wanted to know so I could show up to the funeral and piss on his grave.” He sighed. “Don't write that down.” Nino kept writing. “At least make it clear that I was joking.”

Nino looked up. “And your father’s powers don't work over the phone, right?”

“Right. You have to be in his presence and you have to understand what he's saying.”

“And you haven't seen him since he escaped.”

“No. His minions, but not him.”

“Can anyone confirm this other than Marinette?”

“No, but the very fact that she's alive confirms that my father hasn't seen her.” Adrien pointed out. “If he had seen her, she'd be dead.”

“Fair enough.” Nino admitted. “And just to clarify, can you go over again what you did when the Pale had her nine years ago?”

“Again? Nino, you know I've talked about this hundreds of--”

“I know. It's just for the record.”

Adrien sighed. “The night my father kidnapped Marinette, you and I were working on some project for school. I don't remember the project. The next day her parents came to school and asked me if I had seen her, and that's when we all learned that she was missing.” He closed his eyes as he tried to remember details. “I helped the search teams try to find her when I could. I started looking into the details of her disappearance and connected it to the Pale a few days before the police did.”

“And why didn't you take this information to the police?”

“I was a fifteen year old kid. No one would have believed me.” He paused. “The day before Marinette escaped I had my first suicide attempt. And after she escaped I drove her to the hospital.”

“Did you interact with Gabriel at any point during that time?”

“Only after my suicide attempt, and only briefly.”

Nino finished writing. He went over his notes and nodded. “Yeah, this should be fine. Thankfully you have me, Marinette and her parents to all collaborate your story.” He put the pad of paper in his briefcase. “The only thing that is an issue is Volpina’s credibility, but once we out her as a liar that won't stand in our way.” He leaned back in his chair. “Getting Marinette to talk about the abuse might further sully her character.”

“I mean, sure, but good luck with that. She's even less open about that than she is about the abduction.”

“You're right…” Nino’s eyes grew wide and he leaned forward. “But you know who would be willing to talk about the abuse?” He asked. Adrien didn't say anything. “Mylène Haprèle-Bruel!”

“You're going to call Mylène?” He asked.

“Just because you don't talk to your friends from high school does not mean that I can’t.” He snapped. He fixed his glasses. “But Mylène saw Marinette's bruises, and she's a social worker who specializes in helping abuse victims.” He looked off to the side. “You know, she may also be able to prove that your father abused you, which would explain whatever aspects of your mannerisms that your depression doesn't.”

“My father didn't abuse me.” Adrien protested. Nino glared at him. “He didn't!”

“I'd like to refer you to exhibit A,” Nino said in his most lawyer voice, “your eating disorder.”

Adrien was quiet for a moment. “I have my eating disorder under control!” Nino rolled his eyes and started making calls. Pretty soon, a nurse came in and told Adrien that they'd gotten a room ready for him in the psych ward.

\---

Marinette closed her eyes as she rehearsed her speech in her mind. She was angry, angrier than she'd been in a long time, and she wanted Lila to know. She wanted Lila to know that what she'd done was unacceptable.

Alya watched her face. “Are you alright?” She asked. Marinette faked a smile and nodded. “You don't have to go in. You can wait outside if you want.” She said.

“No, I need to do this.” Marinette said as the elevator stopped.

“I mean, if you’re sure…” Alya shrugged. They walked down the hall. She navigated it with her eyes almost completely closed, pale yellow light shining from the tiny opening. “I told her Ladybug and Lady Wifi were coming. At least you have the element of surprise.”

Marinette nodded. With each step she grew braver, her heart beating out of her chest, but her eyes filled with determination. Alya used a spell to unlock Lila’s hotel room door, and she pushed it open. Lila stood in the threshold, obviously surprised that the door had opened. Marinette felt her courage flush from her body, just as the color ran from her face.

Lila narrowed her eyes, not even looking at her, but Alya. “Jesus fucking Christ, doesn't anybody knock anymore?” She didn't seem to have noticed Marinette. “You must be Lady Wifi. You don't fit Ladybug’s description.” She shifted her weight. “Look, I already told you. I don't need your protection.”

“Nobody asked you, okay? We told you.” Alya said firmly. “This whole mess is your fault, anyway. You should be glad we’re trying to help, instead of letting you just get Gabrielized or whatever.”

She pushed past her, and Lila folded her arms across her chest. “Like that would happen to me.” She offered a smug grin as she turned to look at Marinette. Her expression implied that she was ready to welcome her until she saw who stood there. Her grin vanished, and her jaw dropped. “Marinette?”

\---

-SIX YEARS AGO-

Marinette looked at the diamond ring on her finger. It was beautiful, truly. It caught the early morning light and glittered, and she twisted it idly.

She was sitting on the curb with her luggage--a suitcase with a peeling leather exterior and her school backpack stuffed with things she wanted for the plane. The bus was coming to take her to the airport any minute. Lila was sitting next to her, quietly playing games on her phone. She looked at her from the corner of her eye. “You alright, sweetheart?” Lila asked.

Marinette stopped twisting the ring. She moved her hand to the bruise forming on her wrist, and she pulled down her sleeve to cover it. “I'm fine! Just a little nervous. I've never been on a plane before!”

“Oh, no! Really?” Lila said, as though it surprised her. Marinette had definitely mentioned it before. “Did you want me to come with--”

“No!” She said too quickly. Lila blinked. “I, uh… I want to be able to do things on my own.”

“Alright. It really isn't all that big a deal if you want me there, though.” Her phone buzzed, and she frowned. “Sorry, darling. Emergency. Text me when you're on the bus.” They kissed and Lila walked away.

Marinette relaxed when she was out of sight. She removed the ring and held it in front of her face. “Long time, no see.” A voice said. She jumped and slid the ring back on before she looked. It was Mylène. The colored strands of her hair had been all but washed out, and judging by her clothes, she was on her way to work. “How are you?”

They hadn't spoken since what Lila called ‘the friend divorce’. Marinette frowned and looked away. “If Adrien sent you--” She started.

“He didn't. I haven't spoken to him in weeks, actually.” Mylène said as she sat down. She smoothed her slacks and looked at Marinette quietly. “Are you excited?” She asked with a smiled so forced that there may as well have been a gun to her head.

“Of course! I haven't seen my great uncle in years!” She said, nervously pushing hair behind her ears.

Mylène laughed awkwardly. “I know that. I meant, are you excited for the wedding? It's in April, right?”

Marinette flushed. “Um, yes. April… April 17th.”

“Oh.”

There was a long pause. “B-but, yes! I'm very excited!” Marinette smiled. “W-what little girl hasn't looked forward to her-her-her wedding d-day?”

“Plenty of them.” Mylène said. She frowned, and she didn't stop. “You know, it's not too late to back out.”

“I-I don't want to…”

“To upset her?”

“I didn't say--”

“You aren't like Ivan and I, Marinette. You two don't have a son to think of. And if what I've seen, what I've heard is true--”

She held up her hand. “Enough, Mylène.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Ivan used to say the same things about his father. Please, you know that she's not going to--”

She dug into her arm with her nails. “Listen, Mylène. I've gotten more than enough grief from Adrien about this. I don't want to listen to you, too.” She snapped. “So, go, if you aren't going to be supportive. Just leave.”

“Marinette--” She protested.

She rubbed her eyes. “Leave!” Mylène hesitated, but she stood and left. Eventually, the bus came and Marinette got on. She texted Lila that she was on the bus, and then waited as she received about twelve texts containing rules and restrictions about her visit.

Marinette left the page with Lila’s texts and opened the last ones Adrien had sent her. Texts that begged and pleaded for her to respond. Sincere apologies for his physical reaction. Apologies that rang hollow for his words. The last one had been sent two months ago. Three dots appeared, and Marinette hurriedly left the conversation so he wouldn't see that she'd been lurking.

Adrien sent her a rather short message, wishing her a good time in China. A few moments later, Lila demanded that Marinette send her detailed reports of where she'd be and for how long.

She looked at both unread messages for a while before replying to Lila.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

Lila and Marinette stared at each other for a long time. Everything Marinette wanted to say was still fresh in her mind, but her body was frozen. If she could move to check, she would have tried to take her pulse. But she was still, unmoving.

Lila seemed equally frozen. But she recovered faster. “Marinette. I…” She paused. “You're Ladybug?”

“Y-y-yes…” Marinette nodded. She marched into the room, taking steps that were far too wide. Lila had trashed the room, clothes and garbage thrown about.

Lila closed the door. “Funny. You never seemed like a hero to me.” She brushed her hair out of her eyes. She wore an orange knit sweater with a geometric pattern, a white shirt and dark grey shorts. Her light grey tights had tears in the knees, and a pair of cowboy boots were abandoned near the balcony door. “I had thought Ladybug was some girl desperate for attention, but no. It turns out she's just some bitch who was tricked by an Agreste.” She laughed bitterly. “My mistake.”

Marinette frowned. “Adrien didn't trick me, Lila.” She wanted to insult her, but bit her tongue.

Lila rolled her eyes. “You're wasting your time. Gabriel won't show up. He's too much of a coward.”

“You don't know that. He's dangerous.” Marinette said.

“He's one of this century's most prolific serial killers.” Alya added.

Lila opened the sliding glass door to the balcony, though Alya slammed it shut again. She muttered something under her breath. “So, the two people they send to protect a high profile target are a famous reporter and another high profile target?” She asked. Neither replied. “What, was the devil spawn too full of himself to show up?”

“He's in the hospital, Lila.” Marinette balled her hands into fists. “He tried to kill himself.”

Lila froze for a moment. Then she sort of chuckled and kept pacing. “That doesn't surprise me.”

“You're being kind of insensitive.” Alya scolded. She placed one hand on Marinette's shoulder while the other tried to pry open her hands.

“It's Adrien. He tries this every other week, it seems like.” She laughed bitterly. “Guilt is hard to live with.”

“You seem to be doing pretty well.” Marinette snapped.

This gave Lila reason to pause. She chuckled again before taking a few steps towards her. Alya gently pushed Marinette behind her, acting as a shield. “And what do I have to feel guilty about?” She asked, her hazel eyes burning with intensity. Marinette held Alya’s arm for support, squeezing it with all of her strength. “What have I done that warrants guilt?”

\---

-SEVEN YEARS AGO-

Marinette and Lila were spending the weekend at a lake, enjoying one another’s company and celebrating their anniversary. Though they were doing their own thing at the moment. Lila was in the kitchen, cutting tomatoes for her homemade spaghetti sauce, and Marinette was knitting a pair of mittens for Alya’s birthday.

“I heard from Adrien that the two of you went down to Ville-sous-la-Ferté a couple of weeks ago.” Marinette said suddenly.

Lila froze. “Oh. Did he?”

“Yeah. How did it go?”

She was quiet. “Not so well. I hate to tell you, sweetheart, but Adrien and I just aren't compatible.”

Marinette smiled. “Still, I'm glad you made the effort.” Her smile vanished. “You know, Clairvaux is in Ville-sous-la-Ferté.”

“Yes, I know. Adrien expressed concern about that, and he seemed disturbed when we drove past it.”

“I'm sure he did.” Marinette put down the mitten she was working on. “I'm just going to get some air.”

She stood. Marinette yelped when her prosthetic buckled under her weight, but she quickly regained her composure and walked outside. She leaned against the railing and looked out over the lake.

It was a beautiful sight. The sun had just started to set, turning the lake orange as it shimmered with dying light. Crickets chirped in the grass, and in the not too distant background, she could see a squirrel climbing into its nest. Marinette sighed contentedly.

Lila slid the door open. “Sweetie? Can I ask you something personal?”

“I would hope so.”

“It's about… Gabriel.” She said. That was ominous. Marinette turned, but Lila caught her shoulder. “Don't turn around.”

“Babe?” She chuckled awkwardly. “You're kind of freaking me out.”

“Don't worry. It'll only take a second.” She reassured her. Marinette shuddered and rubbed a bruise on her neck. One that she'd gotten judgmental looks for when she tried to pass it off as a hickey. “What was it like?”

“What was… what like?”

“What was it like when he had you?”

Marinette looked over her shoulder. “Lila?” She shook with anticipation. “I don't like this.” Lila lifted the back of her shirt slightly. Marinette shuddered again. She froze and felt the breath leave her body when Lila pressed a knife to her back. “I mean it. Stop.”

“Go back inside.” Lila ordered.

Marinette obeyed. “Please. Lila, this isn't fun.”

“Go upstairs and stop talking.” Lila followed her closely. They went up the stairs, the wood creaking under their feet. Lila told her to take off her shirt, which she did, and then she compared the blade of the knife to the scars on her back. They were thicker and longer than the blade of Lila’s knife.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Marinette was shaking, experiencing an intense relapse. The knife was different but close enough. She started crying as she remembered the blade against her skin, remembering the chains, remembering him. Remembering him touching her, cutting her, hitting her… she pulled her arms close to her chest and finally turned to face Lila.

There was even more silence.

“Are you… mad at me, babe?” Marinette asked.

“I'm not angry.” Lila’s grip tightened on the blade. But she seemed to realize it wasn't helping the situation and groaned. She stabbed the bedside table, leaving the knife sticking straight up. “Earlier this year. You slept with Adrien, didn't you?” She poked Marinette’s chest. “Didn't you!”

“No! Lila, please! He was drunk, he needed a place to stay!” She explained for what felt like the hundredth time.

“When we were at lunch he asked me about the bruises on your ribs! How would he know about them unless he saw them?”

“I--I don't know!” She said. Marinette crawled away from Lila, keeping one eye on the knife. Lila followed her.

“He couldn’t! He couldn't know unless he'd seen them!” Her voice was strained, and tears had smudged her eyeliner. She tore at her hair as her voice went from yelling to screaming. “You're cheating on me! For how long? Tell me!”

“No! No, I'm not!” She stood, using the wall as support. “I love you! I don't want to hurt you! I would never do something like that!” Lila kept coming. “Lila, please calm down! You're scaring me!”

“Why are you making this harder than it has to be!” She begged. She grabbed a lamp and wielded it like a sword. The cord ripped the outlet out of the wall. She approached Marinette, whose eyes now glowed red. She let out a piercing scream.

She stopped suddenly when she felt something sharp prick her back. She looked behind her to see the knife floating in red light. It drifted around her torso into Marinette's shaking hands, who in turn held it in front of her. “Enough.” She commanded. “Walk away.”

Lila indignantly walked out of the room. Marinette waited for a few moments before she turned the knife over in her hands. There was blood on the tip, just a small amount, but it was enough to remind her of him again. Enough to remind her of the agony she endured trying to escape.

Marinette threw the knife across the room, just narrowly missing the window and sticking in the wall. She curled up in the corner and sobbed, pulling on her bangs. She was relapsing and it was terrible. Everything was terrible. She had to--

“Hey.” Lila said. She looked up. She was holding a cup of hot chocolate. She offered it to Marinette, who took it cautiously. “Are you okay?”

Marinette didn't say anything.

“You know I'd never have cut you with the knife.” She said. There was another pause. “I thought you might tell me the truth if you were frightened.”

“I am telling you the truth.”

“You…” Lila bit her tongue and shifted her weight. “I want to trust you, but I can't trust him.”

“Well, I don't know what you want to do about that. He's one of my best friends.” Marinette stood and moved to the bed. She put the cup down, unable to calm her shaking hands. “I don't know what to say to make you believe me.”

“I don't think there is anything.” She muttered.

Another pause. “You… you can't do things like that to me!” Marinette finally said. “You're hurting me. I don't…”

“I know. I'm sorry. It won't happen again.” Lila promised. She touched Marinette’s face gently and brushed her hair out of her face. With a laugh and a broken smile, she whispered, “You need a haircut.”

“Don't--” Her cheeks flushed. “Don't change the subject! This isn't--”

“I know.” Lila climbed on top of her, gently pushing her onto the bed. Marinette was flushed again, albeit for a different reason. “Can I make it up to you?” She asked seductively.

“I'm not in the mood.” She muttered.

Lila shrugged. She rolled over onto her back and looked at Marinette. There was a long pause. “I love you. So much.” She twisted her fingers into her hair. “Please.” She covered her face with her hands. “Please don't leave me!”

Marinette frowned. She sat up and cradled Lila as she cried. She'd forgiven her almost immediately once she'd started crying. But her hands were still shaking, and they didn't stop until they returned to Paris.

\---

-THIS YEAR-

“You were always clumsy, Marinette. You can't blame me for every fall or broken plate.” Lila said firmly.

“I mean, yes, I'm clumsy, but--” She started.

“You hurt me, Marinette.” She interrupted. “If we were going too fast, if you weren't comfortable, we could have talked. You didn't have to leave it like that!”

Marinette flinched. “But, Lila--”

“And to add insult to injury, you send Adrien to give me the ring back? How could you do that to me?”

“You aren't letting me--”

“All I've wanted for six years is to see you again. To get an answer, to let you know that if you just apologized, I would forgive you and we could move forward together.”

“You? Forgive her?” Alya shouted. She got in Lila’s face. “You made her fear for her life! There is no forgiveness being given!”

Before anyone could say anything else, a stone slammed into the sliding glass door. It shattered the glass. Alya readied her wand, forming a barrier between the door and Marinette. Lila rushed to the bedroom and grabbed her staff, twirling it to get a feel of it.

Over the edge of the balcony, Chloé appeared. She had ditched her supersuit, now simply wearing black shorts, a white shirt with an embroidered honey bee and a yellow unstructured jacket. “Hello ladies!” She said cheerfully, twirling her broomstick to return it to wand form. A purple light swirled in her eyes. “I hope I'm not interrupting.”

“Chloé!” Alya hissed.

“I told you he was too cowardly to come himself!” Lila gloated.

Chloé laughed drunkenly. “Trust me, he's coming.” She pointed her wand at Lila. “And you're going to pay for your slander.” The glow brightened, and it encased the wand. “Tenebris ignis!”

Fire swirled out of her wand. Marinette, Alya and Lila scattered. Alya twirled her wand and pointed it at Chloé. “Lux aqua!” The water whirled out of her wand and doused the fire, as well as knocking Chloé off of her perch.

She struggled to regain her footing. She yelped when Marinette used her telekinesis to grab hold of her wand. Chloé tightened her grip on her wand and pointed it at her. “I'm bringing the Pale home a prize!” She hissed. “Tenebris funis!”

Glowing red rope shot from the end of her wand. Marinette flinched, but before it hit her, Lila deflected the rope with her staff. Marinette successfully ripped the wand from Chloé’s hands, resulting in her magic fading and an unholy screech. “Lady Wifi, hands up!” She shouted as she threw the wand at Alya.

She caught it, and she spun the original. “Lux magicis siccant!” Chloé’s wand was consumed by light, which was absorbed by Alya’s wand. All that remained was a powerless stick that she broke over her knee. She pointed her newly upgraded wand at Chloé and smirked as she cast a new spell. “Lux funis!”

Chloé was struck by yellow light, which wrapped around her. She struggled against the ropes as the others gathered around her. Lila folded her arms across her chest. “Weak.” She spat. “If this is the best Gabriel can send, then we have nothing to fear.”

“You heard her. Gabriel is coming. And I'm the only one here immune to him.” Marinette said. She put her hands on her hips. “We have Chloé. As pathetic as she is, he's weaker without a witch on his side. I think we should take advantage of the eye of the storm and leave before more minions come.”

“She's right. Nino will have completed the interview with Adrien by now, and that means that he can help us.” Alya agreed. She pulled out her phone and sent a text. “Plus, if we get Chloé far enough away from him, she may be a powerful ally.”

“Leave, then. I don't intend to hide like a coward.” Lila said defiantly. She tucked the staff into her belt and looked at Alya. “I won't run away from him. I came here to kill Gabriel Agreste and I'm not leaving until I do so.”

“I appreciate and understand your dedication to the cause,” Alya hissed, “but we can't let you take him on alone.”

“I'm surprised. You always showed extreme anger towards Gabriel. Why don't you want him dead?” Lila asked. With a smirk, she added, “I'm your best shot at that goal.”

“Believe me, nothing would make me happier than turning Gabriel into Graveriel.” She said. “But so long as he can take control of freaks, you can't take him on without a way to protect yourself.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “And I don't have the means of skill to protect you, even if I wanted to.”

Lila opened her mouth to protest when Marinette yelped. She spun around and drew her sword, but saw no one. “It's Sabrina!” She shouted, channeling her telekinesis. She sent out a telekinetic blast, knocking everything out of its path and creating a dent in the wall. “Keep her away from Chloé!”

But it was too late. Sabrina had already untied Chloé, and she'd replaced her wand. Chloé, now freed, pointed her wand at Lila. “Tenebris somnia!” Sand whipped around her wand and flew at Lila. Marinette created a telekinetic barrier, and the sand bounced off.

Alya dived for Chloé’s wand, but she jumped out of the way. Sabrina stepped on Alya’s back and then kicked Marinette’s arm, destroying the barrier. However, the motion revealed her location, and Marinette blasted her against a wall. Her invisibility was suspended. Lila tripped Chloé and delivered a swift kick to her gut.

“Tenebris memoria!” She shouted, conjuring black lightning that Marinette deflected again. She pointed her wand at her and yelled, “Tenebris lapis!” Marinette dodged the stone and prepared to throw Chloé. Instead, Sabrina slammed into her and knocked her over. She yelped when she hit the ground, but she was still aware enough to kick Sabrina when she tried to take her prosthetic.

Lila offered her hand to Marinette. She ignored it and stood on her own, rushing to make sure Alya wasn't bleeding. Chloé tried to cast another spell, but Lila elbowed her gut and flipped her. “They're trying to incapacitate us.” Marinette said. She helped Alya to her feet. “If Gabr… if he's coming, it might not be for a while. Or he might be weakened in some way.”

Alya dusted herself off. “He's a murderer at his core. He may not want someone else to steal his kill.”

“Or maybe he doesn't want to do it here.” Lila suggested as she snatched Chloé’s wand and lifted Sabrina when she came too close.

“She has a point. The Grand Paris is a high profile location with a lot of unknowns.” Marinette agreed as she took the wand. “He planned for everything.”

“What do you suggest we do?” Alya asked.

Marinette was quiet as she thought. “I don't think our plan has changed. We lack the resources to challenge Gabriel, so we have to keep hiding.” She folded her arms across her chest. “We move Lila to a safe house, preferably outside of Paris. And we take Chloé and Sabrina to a secondary location until they aren't Gabrielized anymore.”

“I already told you, I'm not going anywhere!” Lila protested. Chloé tried to grab her wand. Lila grabbed her shirt collar and threw her across the room with one hand. Then she walked over and picked her up so she couldn't escape.

“Nobody asked you!” Alya and Marinette shouted at the same time.

“God.” Marinette rubbed her temples. “Have you got a spell to make her stop talking?”

“If I had a spell like that, I'd use it on every second person I met.” Alya muttered. She conjured a rope and tied up both Chloé and Sabrina. “Let's go now. We don't want to waste time.” Marinette and Alya walked towards the door. When Lila tried to protest, Marinette dragged her along with her telekinesis. “Where can we hide them while we wait?”

“Chloé and Sabrina should stay with us. As soon as they're free, I'm sure they'll be more than willing to share with us whatever plans, weakness and hideouts they know.” Marinette said as they got in the elevator. “But Lila should be kept separate. And someone will have to keep an eye on her.”

“Have I no say in this?” Lila demanded.

“Not in the slightest.” Alya snapped.

“How does it feel?” Marinette muttered. Chloé kicked Lila’s shin. She flinched but didn't release her. She started to swing back and forth, eventually getting enough momentum to kick Lila’s hand. Sabrina fell and kicked Marinette's prosthetic. She yelped when she fell. But since both of them were tied up with magic, and Alya had absorbed the second wand, it seemed like pointless struggling.

The elevator finally reached the bottom floor. “When Chloé snaps out of it, we should tell her father where she is. We might get support from the city.” Lila suggested. “Freedom to act, bounties, assistance from law enforcement. Things like that.”

“You just don't want to suffer the consequences if you kill him.” Marinette accused.

Lila was quiet. Then she smirked and half laughed. “Yeah!” She brushed her bangs out of her face as she added, “You have this weird sense of morality that says murder is the worst thing you could do, but that's not true.” She flinched when Chloé kicked her again, and she shifted to kick her back. “But really, it's letting people get hurt when you could do something to stop it.”

“When did you learn that particular lesson? Before or after you threatened to slit my throat?” Marinette asked.

Lila turned around to face her, but she kept walking backwards. “You know,” she shouted as the automatic doors slid open, “I don't like this tone you've taken with--”

At this moment, Lila got sucker punched by someone hiding next to the door. Both Alya and Marinette wished that it had been more satisfying than it sounded.


End file.
